Saturday, July 28, 2012

SATURDAY - Covered Wagon Souvenirs

Years ago (o my children), if you happened to be driving west on Route 66, and were just on the outskirts of Albuquerque, NM, you would have happened upon this roadside souvenir stand. Covered Wagon Souvenirs, that is! 


One can only imagine what amazing souvenirs were to be found inside the shop. Navajo blankets, silver and turquoise jewelry, pottery, postcards, maybe even a snow globe or two. I wonder if the "largest covered wagon in the world" ever actually stood separate from the shop as we see in this postcard, or if somebody took some artistic license. This shop was displaced when Interstate 40 changed everything, and the shop was moved to a place called Old Town Plaza, where you can still find it today.


I'll bet the seat of that old flivver didn't get hot at all on a summer day. Nope. Look at all that nothin' in the background. What's that gizmo with the large wheels to the right? Some sort of grinder (corn? sorghum? coffee?) I'm guessing.


I wonder if this stagecoach was a genuine antique? If so, it's amazing that at one time artifacts like this were valued so little that nobody thought twice about letting one sit in the hot desert sun every day. Or maybe it is just an old movie prop. I love the metal Kodak sign, unceremoniously nailed to a log. How much would it be worth today? 


I hope you have enjoyed your visit to Covered Wagon Souvenirs!

5 comments:

K. Martinez said...

Nice pics. I'm curious about that car-wash in the background. What decade would you say these images are from? 1950s?

Major Pepperidge said...

Yes, the 50s... maybe the car was is the one that Walter White eventually buys.

TokyoMagic! said...

I didn't notice that car wash sign in the background, but now that K. Martinez has pointed it out, is their a faded Mickey Mouse on that sign?

Major Pepperidge said...

TokyoMagic!, the sign is so washed out that it's hard to tell exactly what is on it; but I don't think there's a Mickey Mouse.

Melissa said...

It's his cousin, Rickey Rat.