The Rockwood Motor Court in Springfield, Missouri, will host a relighting ceremony on Aug. 13 for a replica of its original neon sign.
The Route 66 motel didn’t specify a time, but sunset that day will be at 8:07 p.m. local time, with darkness occurring about 30 minutes after that. Keep in mind that darkness may come earlier if it’s cloudy that day.
The motel, showing a replica of the sign built by Payne Sign Co. of Springfield, announced the relighting in a Facebook post:
Here’s a vintage image of the Rockwood Motor Court with the original sign:
Rockwood Court, along with an adjoining Shell gas station, was built in 1929 with Deverne Ruckman as its operator. That is just three years after U.S. 66 was certified.
More about its history from its website:
All six cabins, as well as the filling station, café, and remaining single-car garage, are original to the property. One garage, on the south side, is no longer standing and that area has been converted to an outdoor gathering space. The cabins are constructed of Ozark sandstone and trimmed with red brick. The sawed sandstone gives the appearance of wood grain in the rock and it is believed the name Rockwood was coined from the distinctive pattern of the stone. They are framed in native oak lumber with diagonal boxing under the stone exterior. The roofs are classic gables covered in composition shingles.
Phyllis Ferguson began restoring the property in 2019 and reopening it to overnight stays.
(Vintage image of the Rockwood Motor Court via its website)