Early in the automobile era, downtown hotels catered to automobile travelers in addition to rail passengers. This sign on the south side of the Clarke hotel in Hastings is oriented toward both the railroad tracks and the main street taken by Route 6. The Clarke is now the Kensington, and assisted living facility. (July 1998 photo)

An early bypass took Route 6 south of Hastings. On the east side, near the spot where the bypass met the city Route 6, is this great old Hudson service station. (September 1999 photo)

East of Hastings is this reminder of an early named road that followed an important part of the current Route 6, the Detroit-Lincoln-Denver Highway. (July 1998 photo)

The Show Boat Auto Court was located a mile east of Hastings on Route 6. The back of this postcard, which was mailed in 1941, hastens the potential visitor to "East and Gas with Ed."