The historic Rancho Court motel along Route 66 in Springfield, Missouri, abruptly met its end after the city declared it a nuisance and approved a demolition permit.
KY3 in Springfield in its report on Thursday showed an image of rubble where the motel at 1544 E. Kearney Ave. (aka Route 66) stood.
The station reported:
The structure was one of the last remaining examples of Giraffe Stone architecture, characterized by large rocks on the building’s exterior.
John Sellars, executive director emeritus of the History Museum on the Square, called the demolition a “sad loss.” He said the building was one of a kind and that it’s unlikely any new structures will be built in the same architectural style.
It’s believed the Rancho Court Motel is among the final remnants of the distinctive Giraffe Stone construction method that once dotted the historic highway.
OzarksFirst.com reported the property was declared a nuisance by the city in September.
The complex opened in the 1940s as the Trails End Motor Court and included 12 cottage-style cabins with kitchens. […] The complex served travelers on U.S. 66, which traveled along Kearney St. (before the highway was rerouted onto Glenstone and Kearney west of there), as well as U.S. 65, which originally ran north and south on Glenstone.
The site was eventually renamed Trails End Motel before becoming Rancho Court. Following its closure as a motel decades ago, the cabins in the court were used as private apartments.
A nearly year-old Zillow listing for the property stated it was for sale for $955,000.
The motel shouldn’t be confused with the Rancho Motel in Springfield, which was demolished a few years ago.
(Image of the Rancho Court motel in Springfield, Missouri, via Zillow listing)