U-Drop Inn - Architecture

Architecture

With its glazed brick, "zigzag" motif, strong vertical elements, and the decorative structure, particularly the metal "tulip", the building is considered to be an excellent example of the Art Deco style. Art Deco was most commonly seen in large commercial and public buildings, so its use in a gas station and roadside restaurant was a rare sight. The U-Drop is one of the few Art Deco cafés built in the 1930s, and it stands out architecturally from its peers, as most depression-era cafés had simpler and similar wood-frame and clapboard designs or followed the Streamline Moderne offshoot of Art Deco.

The original building was designed by John Nunn and architect J.C. Berry. The 1-story concrete and brick building has a modified rectangular layout with a flat roof. It features a flared tower over the gas station, and two canopies, one facing Route 66 and one facing Highway 83 over the front of the gas station office. In the rear, a second, shorter tower contained the restaurant. The main buildings were built of structural clay tile with terra-cotta glazed brick. The two towers are clad in stucco with decorative green and gold glazed terra-cotta tiles and cast concrete stepped forms. Designed to attract the attention of the passing motorists, the towers also feature geometric detailing, curvilinear massing, and are outlined with neon lighting added additional character and uniqueness to the building's design.

Historically, the U-Drop Inn held two separate businesses which shared a single interior wall. The western side, commonly called "Tower Station" "is dominated by a large four-sided obelisk rising from the flat roof and topped by a metal 'tulip'." The tower displayed the station name, Conoco, in all capital letters on each side, with neon lightening on the corners. Vertical-rubbed detailing goes along the base of both towers, as well as two canopies that extend south and west from the western tower. The posts of the canopies were originally encased in decorative glazed tile and vintage metal signs. Between the canopy posts are fuel islands designed to hold three fuel pumps each. 1960s-vintage pumps are currently situated on the islands, with three on the western canopy and two on the southern. A chamfered corner separates the two canopies. Multiple-pane windows surround the glass doors of the office station, as well as dominating much of the southern side of the building. Situated between the office and the café are two service station bays with roll-up style overhead doors.

The eastern side of the building, commonly called the "U-Drop Inn cafe" has a similarly designed, three-sided, shorter version of the main tower. Mirroring the "Conoco" wording, it has "Cafe" written in the same green paint with drop shadowed lettering, and a small ornamental metal sphere perched at its top. Just below the tower, an outstretched metal and wooden sign, added in 1950, displays the name of the building and points towards the recessed entrance. This side mirrors the tiled detail found in the station side, and once had a neon "starburst" around the sign and entryway. Inside the café, the eastern and southern interior walls are lined with booths. The northern wall holds two small restrooms, with the kitchen once located in the northeastern corner. On the southern wall, a recessed doorway flanked by large single-paned windows led into the café's main dining room. The building's exterior is pained beige with dark green accents. On the northern facade, the original brick remains unpainted.