![]() ![]() In the retail market, it was positioned as a lower-cost alternative to the recently released second-generation PowerPC 7400 iMac G4. The new iMac's LCD, which at the time was significantly more costly than a CRT, made it considerably more expensive than its G3 predecessor, so the eMac was considered the more affordable upgrade for those looking for more processing power than the iMac G3. The eMac featured a 17-inch (430 mm) flat-screen CRT monitor, a Freescale PowerPC G4 processor running at 700 or 800 MHz, Nvidia GeForce2 MX graphics, and built-in 18-watt stereo speakers. The retail models were priced at US$1,099 and US$1,499 which filled the price gap between the US$799 iMac G3 and the US$1,499 iMac G4 similar pricing of its predecessor. This revision came with faster processor speeds (800 MHz and 1 GHz) and replaced the GeForce2 MX display adapter with an ATI Radeon 7500 display adapter. Perhaps someday a well-heeled benefactor will bring the real town back to form.In October 2003, 800 MHz model was eliminated as a standard configuration and the 1 GHz model was brought down in price. On-site cabins are long gone, but the site does live on in model railroad form, though. Sadly, the majesty of geology was not strong enough for its latest owners to keep the doors open. This one in particular held the distinction of being featured on Ripley's Believe It or Not for its underground dining hall, among other natural curiosities. In its heyday, Truitt's Cave was among a half-dozen run by spelunker mogul John Truitt. The town occupies a scenic plat along the Elk River, one worthy of a revival of fortunes. As we saw in a previous post about the highway, it hosts plenty of reminders of better times along a once vibrant and colorful motor-tourism route. One local example is Truitt's Cave, with its shuttered facade still visible from Highway 59 in Lanagan, Missouri. The region's limestone machinations lend themselves to ready-made underground tourist stops, but many cave operations suffered as the number of paying troglophiles left the back roads in favor of major interstate travel and attractions beyond. In an era of petroleum dominated by high-profile mega-corporations, a fairly intact station with regional branding is a uncommon find.Ĭaves have always been a staple of Ozark roadside attractions. Out front, the weathered pumps without card readers make for a rare sight today, and the automobile service bays are an almost forgotten commodity. The site has an interesting detached outdoor sale stand made of ornamental blocks so popular in the middle of the century. Even the refrigerator cases remain inside, though much of the glass has been disturbed by bored vandals. While the cinder block building is not especially stylish, it has not been razed even after decades of disuse and remains a capsule of former glory. The Skelly Oil Wikipedia entry notes the chain was founded by oil entreprenuer Bill Skelly of Tulsa fame, and that the Skelly diamond was popular throughout the Midwest until the brand was merged with Getty Oil in 1977. The town is just a skip from the an 1860s stagecoach stop on the Butterfield Overland Trail route, but the vitality of history has long abandoned this gas stop. One that I have passed with interest for years is a shabby Skelly Oil building beside Missouri 37 on the outskirts of the hamlet of Butterfield. ![]() Let's stop for a couple of these sights along the way.Īs we've seen in a past edition, I regard old service stations as a fascinating and essential hub of auto travel. Ringing registers leave the beaten path for downturns and neglect, and the economic ruins in turn develop their own patina of interest. ![]() Life-giving traffic and dollars take the path of least resistance via the newest and latest conveyances between two points. Secondary highway travel in the Ozarks is often a side show of the downtrodden and run down, a collective drive-through history of the cycle of attraction and commerce. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |