Heading south from Santa Fe, NM the landscape became more and more desolate. There was very little traffic and even fewer structures on the horizon. The highway was good, four lane at times divided; just not well traveled. We were beginning to think there would be nothing until we arrived in Roswell, NM. Then on the horizon we could see traffic and an oasis – Clines Corners.
Pulling into Clines Corners reminded Laurie of the places her family would stop when on vacation. Walking inside Laurie was really brought back in time to her younger years and family vacations. Laurie’s family vacations were an event since there were usually four families that traveled together with children about the same age. Laurie had three sisters and one had an imaginary friend who needed a place to sit in the car. The car was a large non air conditioned sedan with four girls and one imaginary friend in the back seat. Stopping meant everyone from four cars spilling out and into places like Clines Corners and heading in every direction. It still amazes Laurie that no one was ever left behind and nothing was broken in any places stopped. And even more their mothers always looked like the true southern belle after hours on the road in non-air conditioned cars with children yelling and fussing. Laurie wanted to purchase something just because and settled on postcards.
Roy E. Cline built a filling station and café at the intersection of highway 6 and 2 in the middle of New Mexico in 1934. Three years later he had to do it again just north when highways became Route 66 and US 285. Today it sits at the same intersection with Route 66 now I40. That original filling station now also boasts a truck stop with diesel as well as gas.
For us, like many travelers before, Clines Corners was an oasis for the weary and a wonderful walk down memory lane for Laurie.
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