Along Route 66 between Amboy and Chambless, the Road Runner’s Retreat was a roadside restaurant and gas station known for its iconic neon sign and Googie-style canopy over the pumps. Built in 1962 by Roy Tull and his wife Helen, it was soon purchased by “Duke” Dotson and his wife Virginia, who moved with their children into a mobile home behind the business and began serving travelers. During the sixties, many employees were itinerant couples traveling Route 66, with husbands working as cooks or in the gas station while wives waited tables before moving on and being replaced by other wanderers. Duke Dotson also started a towing service, built tow trucks on site, and held the auto club contract for the area, boasting that he and his crew could fix anything. The Road Runner’s Retreat and the Dotsons served thousands of travelers until Interstate 40 opened in 1973, abruptly cutting off traffic on Route 66 and leading to the business’s closure soon afterward. The Dotsons sold the property to the Murphys, whose family continues the legacy, and although the restaurant burned down in 2020, the family has plans for the site, including renovation of its world-famous sign.
