STARTING TOUR     Updated: 09/16/2006

Imagine yourself driving along old U.S. Highway 80 either from the 
east or the west, roughly paralleling the railroad tracks.  The 
highway is rather busy not only with passenger cars and farm trucks 
but also large trucks of all shapes and sizes as this is a time 
prior to the advent of the interstate system. Then this southern 
route, cross-country highway was still a major carrier of both 
produce and people from coast to coast.


Not experiencing the 
intense, helter-skelter 
rush of the boomtown 
beginning before 1920 
that it once was, Ranger 
is still a scene of much 
activity, especially on 
Saturdays. For a quick 
overview of the downtown 
commercial center, turn 
and cross the railroad 
tracks onto Main Street 
and proceed west. 
Inevitably your eyes first notice the oil derrick in the middle of 
the intersection of Main and Commerce. A relic of the past, it stands 
primarily as a memorial to another time period as well as place to make
a U-turn on the red brick pavement.


Glancing up the street, one can 
see cars parked at an angle all 
up and down the entire four blocks. 
Parking meters are used to encourage 
people to share the space and time 
wisely. It is easy to notice that 
banks, department stores, drug stores, 
and other smaller businesses line 
both sides of the street.  Toward 
the core of the city at Austin Street 
are two large hotels followed by a 
bowling alley and a grand movie 
theater. There is a coffee shop 
where a quick meal is readily available to both the traveler or local 
citizen. 
 
Proceeding, in a low gear up Main Street, it is impossible not to 
note the clicking sound of the tires on the brick pavement. We suggest 
parking somewhere near the western edge of the business section, if 
necesary, on the side street of Marston so that in this virtual tour, 
you can begin on foot to walk back down Main, recalling each business.
 
As necessary, take your time on this walk. You may return and click on 
any block or street in the map to continue your nostalgic journey.  If 
the text is off your screen to the right, you can move the tour map 
over to the left.  End Tour