Some places don’t try to preserve history—they just are history. Dwight, Illinois is one of those towns. While driving the full length of Route 66 in my Jeep, I pulled over at the old Ambler Becker Texaco Station and found this sculpted mural—vintage gas pump, smiling attendant, and a classic woody wagon locked in time.
The whole piece radiates that particular brand of mid-century optimism Route 66 is known for. It’s not trying to be retro—it simply never moved on. The colours were sun-faded, the charm still intact, and for a moment, it felt like the road had handed me a gift. I framed the shot carefully, letting the angles and details speak for themselves.
That image became one of my favourites from the journey. It now lives as a signed fine art print in my gallery. It’s also part of a broader body of work I’ve built around the journey—collected in the Route 66 Photography Collection for those drawn to the rust, neon, and nostalgia of the Mother Road.
What I love most is that this mural isn’t some roadside gimmick—it’s part of the town, weathered by decades, and still quietly welcoming travellers like me who are paying attention.
