Meteor City Dino Drive-Thru

Meteor City, Arizona

The self-titled "World's Longest Map of Route 66" was once at the Trading Post in Meteor City. The stucco-sided trading post was built in 1938, and a dome was added in 1979.

At some point, Bob Waldmire -- whose Route 66 postcard and poster art could be found at every Mother Road attraction in these parts -- painted the long mural along the exterior wall. Cartoon drawings of Route 66 attractions were added at their approximate spots along the cartoon road.

That mural "fell off the wall" over time, according to the guy we spoke with in the trading post. It was repainted in 2002 as part of a publicity stunt by a national hotel chain. It looked as if a troop of cub scouts did the work. The most carefully rendered parts of the mural were the corporate branding -- the hotel chain and PR campaign logos.

We actually appreciated the other "World's Largest" at the Meteor City Trading Post -- the "World's Largest Dreamcatcher," out by the highway. It must have postdated the map -- we didn't see a logo on it.

The trading post closed in 2012. By late 2013 the Dreamcatcher had disappeared and the map -- apparently having served its purpose -- lay in ruins. What was left of Meteor City was locked inside a chain-link fence for over a decade -- until new owners cleaned up the place, added a "Dino Drive-Thru," and reopened in May 2025. No new map, however.