Gray Summit, a community of less than 3,000 Missourians, was actually founded by a New Yorker, Daniel Gray, who decided to build a hotel there in 1845. One hundred and sixty one years later, I found this wonderful old sign in Daniel's town, squeezed in between old Route 66 and Interstate 44. The Gardenway Motel, per the sign, is located nearby and is still in operation. As for the Diamonds Restaurant, one of the classic Route 66 landmarks that opened way back 1927, well, I just had no idea where to find it. According to my 66 sources and guides, it was or wasn't originally built in nearby Villa Ridge, was or wasn't moved to a spot near this sign in 1948 or 1967, burned to the ground at some point, turned magically one day into the Tri-County Truck Stop which may or may not have closed down since the transformation, or is located on the moon. At the time, I was just happy to get a great photo of the sign, got back in the car, and headed west. Getting in the car and heading west on Route 66 solves a lot of life's little problems. Log Book: 324 miles motored on old 66.
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