STUCKEY'S OF WILLIAMS, ARIZONA

 STUCKEY'S OF WILLIAMS, ARIZONA

Stuckey's: anyone traveling Route 66 or the Interstate network in the 60's or 70's will remember this favorite landmark. This early version of the travel center provided the motoring public a welcomed rest from the long daily travel across the U.S. 

The standard design featured gas pumps and an air-conditioned store. Inside the store you could find all sorts of souvenirs that were appropriate for the region, snacks, and (if I remember correctly) a place to order some fast food for the road. And clean restrooms. Although small by today's travel center standards, this was a welcoming place to be in the days before fast food chains stretched across the country. 

What made this a favorite when we traveled as a family were the nut logs and other treats. Get a tank full of gas, coffee for the driver (Dad of course) and treats to fill the rest of the family-along with an incredible sugar rush- and we were back on the road. 

The stores came in several standard sizes, which simplified the design and construction. Larger towns, such as Kingman, Arizona, received a larger center. The smaller towns received a standard downsized version. Only recently did I find out, from several of the websites on the internet, that Williams had a Stuckey's. 

This little gem is tucked away on the far eastern side of Williams, just west of Bearizona. It is now an auto parts store, the only such store in Williams. If you look closely at the following images, you can see the distinctive roof outline, and part of the glassed-in front of the building. The old pumps are gone, but the pole for the roof remains. I believe the sign is the original from the early days. 

I recently acquired an original souvenir wooden nickel on Ebay. An interesting sales gimmick: you pay five-cents for the token redeemable only at the franchise stores. They pocket a nickle that is good anywhere in the United States. You could get a cup of coffee for a nickle back then.