Region: Panhandle Plains
Town began in 1900, when the Rock Island Railroad survey marked the site as a
future station and shipping point. The railroad ran along the Ozark Trail, which
later became Route 66, creating an economic boom for this tiny agricultural
community for decades until I-40 bypassed the town.
Adrian is the geo-mathematical midpoint of Route 66, and the town's motto is:
"When you're here, you're halfway there." Today, travelers visit from all over
the world to take their photo in front of the sign that reads, "1,139 miles to
Chicago–1,139 miles to Los Angeles."