Colorado Has One of the Rare ‘One Arch’ McDonald’s

It's one thing to find out that there only about a dozen McDonald's in the world that have only one arch, but then to find out that one is in Colorado.. Wow.

The famous burger/restaurant chain has been around since 1940, millions and millions of Americans have been to one at least once. How many people have been to the rare one that resides in a little town in southwestern Colorado?

Just writing this story I can smell their fries. What's your "go to" item at McD's? I've been a longtime fan of the 10-piece McNugget meal. I love the non-messy bite-size McNuggets; add in those fries and a soda, and you can color me "happy."

Depending upon whom you source there are either seven or 12 McDonald's in existence that have only one arch as opposed to the well-known pair of Golden Arches (that form an 'M' for McDonald's.) It's neat that Colorado can brag to have one of those few.

A Rare 'One Arch' McDonald's Can Be Found in Southwestern Colorado

There is a McDonald's in Montrose, Colorado, that is said to be 50 years old. That would put it's "open" date somewhere in the early 1970's. The two-arch McDonald's that we see across the world began rolling out in the late 1960's, so it does make sense that this McDonald's would still have the one-arch.

Get our free mobile app

I've visited Montrose a few times; it is a great little town southeast of Grand Junction. It's pretty and quaint; they have a small bowling alley named "The Rose Bowl," I love that. Somehow, I can't remember if this McDonald's ever came up, while I was visiting a friend.

Montrose, Colorado, Has One of the Very Few 'One-Arch' McDonald's

If you make the road trip from Denver to Montrose, it will take you about 4-5 hours, but it  will be worth it to find this one-arch McDonald's.

RELATED: 10 Things You Didn't Know About McNuggets

As recent as 2012, this McD's, at 1035 Main Street in Montrose, had the little "I'm Speedee!" guy within the arch. Speedee was their mascot before they introduced Ronald McDonald.

According to a story by Mashed.com, Speedee was retired in 1962; that would mean that this McDonald's in Montrose opened before that, right?