Alanreed, Texas was laid out in 1900 as a railroad town. In 1901 the first school was built and just one year later, the post office was moved from Eldridge and renamed Alanreed. After the Rock Island Railroad was completed in 1903, Alanreed became a major shipping point for cattle and by 1904 the settlement was the largest town in Gray County. That same year, the Alanreed Baptist Church was founded. It continues to stand and serve congregations today. It is the oldest church on Texas' stretch of Route 66. Photo by Kathy Weiser-Alexander.