A 22-Foot Roadside Relic from the Old Spanish Trail

Описание: Sometimes the most interesting pieces of history are found along old trails.

While traveling through Fort Stockton, Texas, Brian Hawkins comes across a massive 22-foot arrow sign that once pointed travelers along the historic Old Spanish Trail to the Spanish Trail Lodge. For decades, signs like this guided motorists across the country when road travel was simpler and every town along the highway had its own character.

When new construction threatened to erase this roadside relic, Brian and a few friends carefully worked to bring the sign down and preserve it before it could disappear forever. After a long journey across Texas, the historic sign found its way to the Round Top Antique Fair and eventually into the hands of neon restoration experts who will help ensure it survives for years to come.

Brian spent decades exploring the backroads as the longtime producer of Texas Country Reporter, always searching for the people, places, and relics that tell the story of Texas and the American South. Discoveries like this are reminders that the past is still out there — sometimes rusted, sometimes forgotten, but always worth saving.

If you enjoy backroad discoveries, vintage Americana, antiques, and roadside history, subscribe and follow along as Brian and Ninette Hawkins continue uncovering stories from the road.