World's Largest Truckstop

Posted by Alex in Travel & Places, World Records on August 11, 2008 at 1:59 am


Somewhere on the I-80 Highway between Iowa City and Davenport is the World’s Largest Truckstop, which comes complete with a dentist’s office, a movie theater, and more. Lots more.

Our own StacyBee (she also writes for our pal mental_floss blog) investigates:

The I-80 truck stop didn’t start as such a behemoth, though. It opened in 1964, when I-80 was still in its infancy, or at least in its toddler stages. It was just a tiny white building stuck smack in the middle of a cornfield – two diesel pumps and a restaurant.

It grew as I-80 grew and now employs 450 people. [...]

Here are just a few of the delights that this wonder offers:

• Several full-sized vehicles. I counted at least five –
one semi with a mural painted on it, one semi cab, one old-timey car in the restaurant, one truck and another old-timey car hanging from the ceiling. There may have been more.
• A dentist’s office.
• A movie theater.
• A chiropractic clinic.
• A barber shop.
• A custom shop, so you can trick out your truck with embroidery, custom vinyl and laser engraving.
• 24 private showers.
• A restaurant that serves about a million cups of coffee and 90 tons of meat every year.
• A car wash for semis (so, technically a semi wash?) that even cleans the engine. A 15-minute wash will set truckers back about $50.
• 75,000 unique items to bring home to your loved ones.

Links: Article at mental_floss | More pics at Stacy’s I Met a Possum blog (and what’s up with that creepy doll pic at the end?)


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COMMENT

8 comments to "World's Largest Truckstop"

  1. Dave Donelson
    August 11th, 2008 at 8:19 am

    Another truck stop of note is Little America, in Cheyenne, WY. It has it's own 9-hole, par-3 golf course.

    Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds

  2. Some Corn Fed Girl
    August 11th, 2008 at 9:43 am

    I just drove by this place when I was on vacation in Iowa (yes, I know, how sad to take a vacation in Iowa!). I noticed they are online too -- Iowa80 dot com. They sell rubby ducky hood ornaments -- who knew??

  3. issacsullivan
    August 11th, 2008 at 11:17 am

    This place really isn't all that interesting sadly. It's just a food court and a store which seems very spread out on purpose and the items in the store are just the things you would find and not buy in most truck stops. Also, there is only one non-trucker men's bathroom with only four stalls.

  4. nate
    August 11th, 2008 at 1:25 pm

    Ha! I grew up in Davenport, 15 min away from this gigantic eyesore. It's not so bad actually...but I drive by it all the time and it just keeps growing.

    we always try to avoid it on the way home to see the family because of the insane amount of traffic going in and going out of it.

  5. seekshelter
    August 11th, 2008 at 4:38 pm

    wow....they forgot to mention the section for the lot lizards...(look it up)

  6. nick
    August 11th, 2008 at 7:29 pm

    i grew up not far from there too. thats sweet iowa made neatorama.

  7. PR
    August 11th, 2008 at 8:17 pm

    What´s up with truckers and dolls?

  8. ruby
    August 12th, 2008 at 8:55 am

    Yep, Lot Lizards hang out in the Pickle Park! I was the Acting Director of a truck training school....too funny!


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