Route 66 in Texas Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cars

According to "The Illustrated Route 66 Historical Atlas" by Jim Hinckley, the Midpoint Cafe inspired Flo's V8 cafe in the popular "Cars" movie. The cafe also marks the halfway point between Chicago and Santa Monica.

Answer: Cadillac Ranch

Created in 1974 by three members of the avant art group Ant Farm (Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez, and Doug Michels), Cadillac Ranch features ten half-buried Cadillac cars covered in colorful paint. Visitors can add to the art installation by snagging a bottle of spray paint (many lay strewn across the ground) and making their own graffiti on the nearby earth. Though originally situated in a wheat field, the installation was moved to a private cow pasture along route I-40 in 1997. Visitors are welcome to park along the frontage road and enter through the open gate.

The Bruce Springsteen 1981 single "Cadillac Ranch" (from the album "The River") took its title from this art installation.

Answer: The Texas Panhandle

About 180 miles of Route 66 extends through Texas, crossing the panhandle. Old route 66 goes from Adrian near the border of New Mexico to Shamrock near the border of Oklahoma. It runs through the towns of McLean, Shamrock, and Vega and crosses only a single city - Amarillo.

Answer: Art Deco

Designed by J. C. Berry and built in 1936, this Route 66 landmark features art deco architecture, including flared towers, glazed ceramic tile walls, and accents using neon lights. It fell into disrepair over time, until it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was purchased by the First National Bank of Shamrock, and then gifted to the city in the late 1990s.

The site was then restored with the help of a federal grant and now features a museum, gift shop, and visitors' center. The U-Drop Inn serves as the model for Ramone's automotive body and paint shop in the movie "Cars."

Answer: The Big Texan Steak Ranch

The challenge has existed since 1960, and the 72-ounce steak is served with a bread roll, a baked potato, a shrimp cocktail, and a salad. If you can eat the steak and all the sides that come with it in less than an hour, your meal is free. Customers who have succeeded in the challenge have their names plastered on the wall.

The Big Texan Steak Ranch is located off of I-40 (formerly route 66) in Amarillo. The property also features a motel, gift shop, and games.

Answer: The Leaning Water Tower

The Eiffel Tower is not located along Route 66 but can be found in Paris, Texas and is topped with a red cowboy hat. In Groom, however, you will find the Leaning Water Tower. This tower was scheduled for demolition until Ralph Britten bought it, moved it, and used it as a sign for his truck stop / tourist information center.

Answer: Slug Bug Ranch

Whether it's a homage, parody, or ripoff, Slug Bug Ranch is similar to Cadillac Ranch, but instead of Cadillac cars, it uses Volkswagen Beetles. It's located about thirty minutes outside of Amarillo, in Conway, Texas.

Answer: Barbed Wire

Located in McClean Texas, the Devil's Rope Museum explores the history of barbed wire. This simple but revolutionary technology, which was invented in 1874, made it possible to cheaply fence in cattle. This in turn had a momentous effect on the expansion of cattle ranching in Texas. Elsewhere in Texas, in Grand Prairie, the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum displays a giant ball of barbed wire that reaches eight feet in height and weighs three tons.

Answer: The Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ

The cross is also known as the "Groom Cross" or "The Giant Cross." The cross was bankrolled by a Texas millionaire and contains over 2.5 million pounds of steel. Around the base of the cross visitors will find life-sized statues depicting all fourteen Stations of the Cross.

Answer: Glenrio

The town features the remains of an abandoned Philips 66 service station, a post office, and assorted other buildings. Founded in 1903 as a railroad town, it was originally named Rock Island.