A Small Texas Town...
Groom
Groom
, Texas is another railroad town that dates back to 1902. Its main
industry was cattle, wheat and maize. Groom was named after Colonel
B.B. Groom who established a prosperous ranch in the area. Route 66
kept the town going, and west bound travelers breathed a sigh of
relief upon reaching this outpost along the Mother Road. It meant
they had crossed the infamous Jericho Gap and lived to tell the
tale. Of course if you were heading east it was a different story;
the worst was yet to come. In 1946 Rittenhouse gives the population
at 475 with the tourist amenities being a small hotel, Wall's cafe
and several others; gas; garages; stores.
Today the town boasts of the famous and neck-turning "Leaning Tower
of Texas. This is a water tank that leans precariously to one side.
One leg of the Britten USA water reservoir is actually shorter than
the others. This was done to catch the tourist's eye and get them
to stop in Groom. A bit of marketing to help this old Route 66 town
bypassed by the Interstate.
The Tower Lounge and Restaurant is now a memory of Route 66. It
burned a few years back. Today all that is left to remind one of
this Route 66 attraction is the unique Tower Restaurant sign.
Notice the Britten Water Tank in the distance.
Memories of Route 66 in Groom, Texas
Lonely relics of the Mother Road line Groom's Route 66
Groom Sunset
Largest Cross in the Northern Hemisphere
Another attraction for the Interstate traveler is the Groom Cross,
visible for miles as you approach this panhandle town. Though it
doesn't date back to the days of Route 66 it is an attraction that
is definitely in the spirit of the old Mother Road.
The Groom Cross is located between Interstate 40 and old Route 66
going west out of Groom, Texas. It was built by Steve Thomas of
Pampa, Texas in 1995.
Recent additions to the area around the Groom Cross include a
memorial in memory of the victims of abortion and a replica of
Calvary, with steps leading to the crosses, and a replica of
Christ's tomb. The Stations of the Cross were just completed and
feature life-sized sculptures of the events leading to Christ's
crucifixion. The Groom Cross is fast becoming a roadside pilgrimage
site with the number of travelers visiting the site increasing
exponentially.