~AS~ ~RUB 6 nPLACE TO STA Although a heavily used coast-to-coast highway, US 40 has less name recognition than some others. References to Route 66 can be found in music, television and literature, but most of the advertising for US 40 was not on a national scale. Individuals and local groups did promote it, including one commemorative coin that referred to US 40 as "The Highway of Romance" and billed it as a "Safe-Smooth-Short-Scenic" route that traveled "Thru the Heart of America." ~
The expanding car culture helped drive-ins gain popularity in the 1950s. Oscar's Dairy King opened near Colfax Avenue and Sable Boulevard about 1955, although it only remained in business a few years.
Located at Colfax A venue and Lima Street, the Ranger Motel billed itself as ''The Home of Western Hospitality" and attracted visitors with a cowboy sign. Courtesy of the Colfax Museum
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Texaco hired designer Walter Dorwin Teague to create a unified look for the company. The white porcelain enamel design like this one at Colfax A venue and Lima Street suggested speed, modernity and cleanliness.
Aurora's 50,000 watt KOA transmitter could be heard around the country, and the 475-foot tower could be seen for miles. The Tower Motel, located across the road from the radio tower, used a miniature tower on its sign to draw tourists.