Gary’s Gay Parita: A view of the front of the gas station at Gary’s Gay Parita reveals just a sampling of what visitors will see while roaming around the grounds of the station. The original gas station burned in 1955 and business ceased. Gary Turner and some relatives constructed this replica Sinclair station in 2003. The purpose of the station was to provide a place for travelers to stop and see items from the period when the original station was in operation. This station did not sell gas. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
George: George Bowick sits on the porch of the gift shop located adjacent to the gas station. Bowick and Barbara Turner Barnes now live on site and operate Gary’s Gay Parita in much the same way that Gary Turner operated when he welcomed visitors to the station. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
By GARY WARREN
Photographer
Formerly of Los Alamos
What is Gary’s Gay Parita? Most travelers on Historic Route 66 know that it is a vintage gas station in Paris Springs, Mo., about 20 miles from Springfield, that has become one of the most popular stops for travelers driving the historic highway.
The Sinclair gas station was constructed in 1926 by Fred and Gay Mason. Fred named the station Gay Parita as a tribute to his wife Gay. Parita was possibly a name for the rural region where the station sat.
The Masons operated the Sinclair station for years, servicing travelers on the famous cross-country road that stretched from Chicago to Los Angeles, passing through eight states along the way. However, in 1955, the station burned to the ground and the Masons ceased operations.
Ownership of the property changed hands over the years. In the early 2000s the owners were distant family members to Gary Turner. They were constructing a replica of the old Sinclair station in the original location. Gary and Lena Turner purchased the property to be used as a “man cave” and Route 66 Visitors Center. Gary was recently retired and the station was to be his retirement project.
Gary Turner grew up in the area near Springfield in the 1940s-50s. However, after he and Lena married they moved to California. Gary had a variety of jobs. He was a “gunslinger” at Knott’s Berry Farm and owned a successful used car lot among other things before returning to Missouri where he became a truck driver.
Barbara Turner Barnes, the youngest of Gary and Lena’s four children thought the idea of the gas station was just another of her dad’s variety of jobs and activities that kept him busy. It became much more.
Gary was a person who never knew a stranger and was a great storyteller. He welcomed visitors who stopped at Gay Parrita every day, sometimes until 10 at night. Gary knew that the travelers were Route 66 enthusiasts and he did not want to disappoint any of them by not being open when they came by. He was a friend to all and welcomed the visitors daily.
What Gary Turner created became a favorite stop for Historic Route 66 travelers. Free water and sodas, along with a slice of watermelon were common. Visitors were welcome to spend time under the covered pavilion built behind the station. To the right of the station was a garage built to house many of the antiques and artifacts Turner had collected.
It indeed was a popular stop, but it was also a place for Turner’s “man cave” and a place to house his collection. The collection of antiques ranged from household items and appliances to toys and even some entertainment items, but the primary focus was his huge collection of vintage automobiles and related transportation items. Several vintage cars were placed around the grounds and in the garage. A collection of oil cans, tools, gas pumps, vintage bottles and soft drink machines were just a few of the items one could enjoy.
This activity continued until 2015. Age and failing health overtook Gary Turner and he died on January 22, 2015. His wife of 56 years, Lena did not live long after; she died in May 2015. Both were buried on the grounds of Gary’s Gay Parita.
Gary’s Gay Parita sat silent for months after the deaths. Not open and the future unknown. The station remained closed for nearly a year before a decision was made. Barbara Turner Barnes, the youngest of the four children now owns the property. She and George Bowick began operating the station in 2016 and continue to carry on the tradition that Barbara’s dad established.
The day we visited, Barbara was in Springfield, but we enjoyed spending time with George and listening as he told the story of Gary’s Gay Parita. The station lives on with the same hospitality that Gary Turner began.
What is Gary’s Gay Parita? It is definitely a premier Route 66 stop! It is a gas station that doesn’t sell gas, a vintage car lot, as there are several vintage cars and trucks, it is an antique shop with a variety of antiques to enjoy … it is all of these things. You could call it a museum.
Gary’s Gay Parita is the essence of Route 66. Neighbors and businesses working together to please the visitors. They are the reason that Route 66 is as popular today as ever. This is just one of dozens of similar places and stories that make Route 66 a wonderful way to see the U.S. by driving the two-lane roads and feeling the heartbeat of this highway. 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Route 66, and there are many special events planned to celebrate the “Main Street of America”.
Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country, and he shares his photographs, which appear in the “Posts from the Road” series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post.
Garage: The garage sits to the right of the gas station and is a showcase for Gary Turner’s variety of antiques. Household items, toys, and other items fill the space but the primary collection was automobiles and transportation memorabilia. Seen in the photo are many of the items in one corner of the garage. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Back in the Day: A closer view of the front of the gas station reveals several period items from the days when the original station was in operation. The buildings and grounds are filled with memorabilia from the 1930s-50s, as Route 66 was the primary road when traveling to the West Coast of the country. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Garden: Several gardens are seen around the grounds at Gary’s Gay Parita in Paris Springs, Mo. The station and grounds were created for the enjoyment of travelers today when driving Historic Route 66. The tiny rural area was a major stopping place for travelers on Route 66 until 1955 and has become a popular stop today on Historic Route 66. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Pavilion: A pavilion sits on the grounds of Gary’s Gay Parita behind the gas station. Operators offer free snacks and water today, just as Gary Turner did when he was operating the facility. The large pavilion offers shade in the hot summer months when many tour groups travel the highway. 2026 is the 100th anniversary of Route 66 and the road will be busy with travelers enjoying the events and sites along the route. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com