Vintage 83 Postcards

This is one of about four known variations of a postcard that promoted Highway 83 in the early 1960s. The Highway 83 Association included Canadian members as far north as Swan River, Manitoba, where the route remains numbered as “83.” This version includes a lot more towns than other versions in the collection.

 

This is a picture of the Max, North Dakota, depot. Is that a Highway 83 viaduct in the background? Not sure, so drop me a note if you know.

 

Highway 83 as it spans over the Missouri River between Pierre and Fort Pierre, South Dakota. This bridge was taken down.

 

          

             The Valentine Motel in Valentine, Nebraska, is now closed, but the buildings remain.

 

        

         Is the Tomahawk still in North Platte? Not Sure. I haven't been back since I found this card.

         If you have any  knowledge, let me know.

      

The Chief Hotel in McCook, Nebraska, is an example of the first wave of motor hotels that took advantage of the growing interest in traveling by highway. If you look closely, you can see the garages are attached to the units. Gangsters such as Bonnie and Clyde liked to stay in these types of motels because they could make a quick escape on the highway. There is still a Chief Motel in McCook.

 

   

The Oakley Travel Lodge is still on Business 83, which cuts through the center of Oakley, Kansas. Today it is called the 1st Travel Inn, and is a quiet, welcome change from the chain motels out by Interstate 70.

A postcard celebrating the annual pancake race in Liberal, Kansas. This was taken when Highway 83 went through the middle of downtown. There is now a bypass and the stack of pancakes has been moved to a local museum.

 

The Cactus Garden Café in Laredo, Texas. No longer there.

 

 

Three bathing beauties at the Fairway Motor Hotel in McCallen, Texas.

 

The end of the road at Brownsville, Texas. This is quite a sleepy scene compared to the border checkpoint today.