Conoco Tower Station & U-Drop Inn Cafe — Attraction in Shamrock

Conoco Tower Station And U Drop Inn Route 66 Shamrock, Texas

When we first arrived in Shamrock, Texas, we knew we wanted to visit The Conoco Tower Station and the U-Drop Inn Café. We met both Olita and Hazel at the station, and we talked about the history of the station. They also were kind enough to show us the U Drop Inn Café even though it was closed for the day. The interior and decor were beautiful and made you feel as if you were stepping back in the past. We also met the owner of the U Drop Inn Cafe. His name is Ozzy. We spoke for a bit about the cafe, its history, and his menu items. He was great and always had a smile on his face. We also talked about how we would like to promote his business to our Route 66 groups. We told him that we would be back the next day to have lunch before leaving Shamrock for Oklahoma.

The following day, we had lunch at the cafe. The menu is limited and offers different sandwiches, paninis, salads, shakes, and homemade pies. We ordered several items from the menu. I had the Green Chile Chicken Panini, which came with a side of fries. The Panini was delicious and had lots of flavor. Chuck had Voilas Classic Chicken Salad Sandwich, and he stated that it was one of the best he has had. We also both ordered a couple of milk shakes, and they were both great they were flavorful, creamy, and smooth. Of course, we wanted to try some homemade pie. I can't remember what kind of pie it was, but I know the crust was flaky, and the filling was delicious. We later found out from Ozzy that his mother made the pies. I'm sure she makes other delicious pies because what we had was great. We also found out that Ozzy's parents own another restaurant, which we will try on our next visit.

Overall, we had a great experience with wonderful food and excellent customer...

On a whim, my wife and I decided we needed to get out of the house and discover something new. We looked at a map, spied Shamrock Texas fifty miles to the east, jumped in the car, and headed that way. On the way there, my wife Googled things to do in Shamrock. The first thing to pop up was Tower Station & U-Drop In Café. So, that's where we headed. We were not disappointed.

The historic landmark harkens back to our youth, when the boredom of lengthy road trips to relatives or friends were made tolerable - even enjoyable - because of stops such as Tower Station & U-Drop In Café. When the historic Route 66 was in its heyday, this stop would have been overrun by travelers aching to stretch, grab a soda pop, enjoy a meal, refuel, top off the radiator, check the tire pressure, or any number of necessary activities.

Our visit this day was made memorable by the iconic architecture, the gift shop that anchors the attraction, and mostly by the two ladies who welcomed us and shared with us the history of the Tower Station, and many other historic locations in Shamrock. The pride they have for their beloved Shamrock was perfectly communicated through their infectious enthusiasm and genuine kindness.

(Post Script - We learned that the U-Drop In Café that was vacant during our visit will be reopening in mid-February. Because of these two delightful ladies, we plan to return...

Getting My Kicks At the U-Drop Inn

Any one that knows me, knows that I love taking the side roads, the unexplored paths or memory lanes of America. For my birthday, I returned to the highways of Route 66 in the direction of New Mexico. I had to release the tensions of the city and learn to have fun before the big birthday (and no I won’t say what age) rolled around. I made a pit stop in Shamrock, Texas to the Tower Conoco and U-Drop Inn that was built in 1936. This beautiful Art Deco styled building with its ceramic tiled walls and neon accent lights make you want to shake the dust off and slide on in. Since my last visit some years ago, the original café is open and it looks great. Although there is no functioning kitchen, they have restored it to its original appearance while offering snacks for purchase and coffee and tea. The gift shop and tourist information center is larger, offering many fun items for purchase. The host that was working that Saturday morning was very kind and presented a lot of information on the café’s history. You can see the booth that Elvis and his entourage sat in during their stop in Shamrock. On September 18, 1997, the U-Drop Inn was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Overall: If you have the time, it’s worth making a stop here to check out the old gas pumps and buildings before you continue...