66 Eyes on Route 66 - Tucumcari, New Mexico, USA.
N 35° 10.300 W 103° 43.833
13S E 615600 N 3892818
A five-year project ended in June 2014 when the 66 Eyes on 66 mural was completed. there are now 33 pairs of eyes looking down on you from this massive mural, located alongside the Mother Road in Tucumcari, New Mexico.
Waymark Code: WMNKQR
Location: New Mexico, United States
Date Posted: 03/30/2015
Views: 4
When I passed through Tucumcari in May 2014, this mural was a work in progress, & yet to be finished, although it had stood part completed for nearly five years.
The mural over 50 feet long & 20 feet high features 32 box/frames each with a pair of eyes from different people. several are wearing glasses, most are not. the people featured are actual people from the area who donated money to charity to have their eyes displayed in the mural.
The Mural has a box with the text "66 Eyes on Route 66" below this box is a plain white box, as shown in my listing photos, this box since completion now has a full length painting of a Lady making the 33rd pair of eyes bringing the total to 66 eyes.
News item from local Newspaper:
"with a quiet gathering of Helping Hands Hospice board of directors members and artist Doug Quarles, who posed for pictures Monday at the Eyes on 66 mural in Tucumcari.
Quarles, a former Tucumcari resident whose murals have given the city the nickname “the City of Murals” returned to the city over the weekend to finish the Eyes on 66 project, which he started five years ago, along with some other projects.
From the mural, 32 pairs of eyes gaze eastward onto Historic Route 66, each belonging to an individual who donated money to have their eyes join the stare-down onto Tucumcari’s main drag, according to Mary Jimenez, president of the hospice board." Text Source: (
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From the 1000 miles of murals Website:
"1,000 miles of vintage signs, ghost signs, museums, art, murals, foreign tourist and proud local Americans now you’re in a town that offers all that and more. “Tucumcari Tonite”!
For over half a century those two words have brought many a traveler into this town. Do yourself a favor and stay awhile. The people are great (so is the food) and with over 1,000 motel rooms lodging is plentiful. Be forewarned though, you may soon discover how the “land of enchantment” becomes the “land of entrapment”. Just takes a couple of sunsets and those incredible night skies to get you thinking, “I could get use to this”.
Here’s a town we don’t have to be hoping more murals are on their way. Thanks to the Quarles and the Chamber of Commerce Tucumcari is constantly in a state of change. It’s always amazing to see an idea change into a work of art. Doug and Sharon Quarles do it as well as anybody. Doug’s work graces the cover of this brochure.
The Quarles have painted nearly 40 murals in Tucumcari. Most are outdoors with several indoors. You will not be disappointed in taking the time to view them all.
Doug and Sharon Quarles run an art gallery in Tucumcari on Route 66. Their artwork is phenomenal. Doug’s ability to blend colors and paint the finest detail is outstanding. Sharon’s chrome drawings done with pastels are absolutely amazing. A visit with them will be long remembered." Text Source: (
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