| |
Bob's
Oil Derrick Service Station and Cafe
Matador,
TexasA
Still-Standing Relic from the Golden Age of Roadside Attractions
Hwy 70 Outside
of Roaring
Springs
"You Can't Miss It."
Photos and Captions by Wes Reeves |
| Derrick
atop Bob's Oil Well station in Matador |
Built
of native stone and petrified wood, Bob's was once as well-known to intersate
truckers as South Dakota's Wall Drugstore. Bob was WWI veteran Luther Bedford
Robertson who opened the original station with a wooden derrick in the 1930s.
Luther's dedication and flair for promotion (being the only station for miles
didn't hurt) made his enterprise an outstanding success. He replaced the wooden
derrick with a metal one and added a cafe, garage and grocery in the late 1930s.
"Bob" died in 1947 and while his widow attempted to keep it open, it closed in
the 1950s. The station and cafe are currently undergoing restoration after being
placed on the Texas endangered building list in 2004. A historical marker has
been placed at the site and there are hopes of turning the old landmark into a
visitor's center and museum. |
| Closeup
of neon sign, hammered by a blue norther past, at Bob's Oil Well Cafe |
| Bob's
Oil Well Cafe back wall |
| "The station
and neighboring cafe were built in the early 1930s by Bob Robertson, who was as
much a showman as he was a businessman. Live rattlesnakes were kept in cages inside
to the delight and horror of anyone who stopped by." - Wes Reeves, 2007 |
| |
