The landmark Blue Swallow Motel of Tucumcari, New Mexico, landed the cover image of the current issue of New Mexico Magazine. Not only does the Route 66 motel that dates to 1939 appear in the magazine's lead article "The Magic of Route 66" and others in the issue, but so do Motel Safari and Roadrunner … Continue reading Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari makes cover of current issue of New Mexico Magazine
Category: Motels
14 neon signs along Albuquerque’s Route 66 receive improvement grants
The City of Albuquerque announced it would award 14 grants totaling $432,000 to improve neon signs along the Route 66 corridor of Central Avenue. More than 25 grant applications were received. Listed below are the winners. A few will be familiar to veteran Route 66 travelers. 5501 Plaza, 5431 Central Ave. NW Americana Motel, 5908 … Continue reading 14 neon signs along Albuquerque’s Route 66 receive improvement grants
Couple acquires John’s Modern Cabins, Vernelle’s Motel in Missouri
A couple with close family ties to the shuttered Vernelle's Motel near Newburg, Missouri, also recently acquired the long-closed John's Modern Cabins property next door. They plan to convert the Vernelle's property into an RV park, using the now-abandoned Interstate 44 / Route 66 roadbed, and rename it Vernelle's Route 66 RV Park & Campground. … Continue reading Couple acquires John’s Modern Cabins, Vernelle’s Motel in Missouri
Future site of the Glancy Motel sign appears to be still uncertain
The fate of the distinctive sign for the now-demolished Glancy Motel in Clinton, Oklahoma, remains uncertain, though the city manager said its likely home still would be the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in town. According to a recent print edition of the Clinton Daily News, city manager Robert Johnston said he was hopeful the Glancy … Continue reading Future site of the Glancy Motel sign appears to be still uncertain
Imperial Inn in Albuquerque likely will reopen to overnight guests next month
The long-moribund Imperial Inn in east downtown Albuquerque probably will reopen to overnight travelers sometime next month after city officials hailed a $7 million redevelopment of the Route 66 motel. The Imperial, located at 701 Central Ave. (aka Route 66), now has 56 guest rooms, 16 residential suites and 4,400 square feet of commercial space … Continue reading Imperial Inn in Albuquerque likely will reopen to overnight guests next month
Herring Hotel in Amarillo designated to National Register of Historic Places
The nearly century-old but shuttered Herring Hotel in downtown Amarillo recently was designated to the National Register of Historic Places. The designation went into effect on Jan. 25, according to an email Friday from the National Park Service. The National Register nomination form can be read here. In 2022, several media outlets reported about a … Continue reading Herring Hotel in Amarillo designated to National Register of Historic Places
Boots Court motel in Carthage wins $120,000 grant to beautify its visitors center
The city council of Carthage, Missouri, approved a $120,000 grant to the foundation of the Boots Court motel to create green space and other improvements at its adjacent visitors center. The vote by the council was 8-1, with the only dissenting voter saying he supported the historic Route 66 motel but wanted more information about … Continue reading Boots Court motel in Carthage wins $120,000 grant to beautify its visitors center
Three named to Laclede County Route 66 Wall of Fame’s latest class
Three individuals will be inducted into the Laclede County Route 66 Wall of Fame during a ceremony next month. The Lebanon-Laclede County Route 66 Society announced the third set of inductees last week. The ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. on Jan. 27 at the Cowan Civic Center in Lebanon, Missouri, during the society's … Continue reading Three named to Laclede County Route 66 Wall of Fame’s latest class
Group’s development plan may save condemned Midtown Travel Inn motel in Clinton
The condemned Midtown Travel Inn in Clinton, Oklahoma, may be spared the wrecking ball after a local art community presented possible plans for the Route 66 motel in front of the city council. Clinton-based West OK Co-op officers Jason Smith and Andrew Stone asked the council to pause plans for demolition of the motel for … Continue reading Group’s development plan may save condemned Midtown Travel Inn motel in Clinton
Closed Stratford Inn hotel in Fenton to be torn down by March
The closed Stratford Inn hotel along the Route 66 corridor of the west St. Louis suburb of Fenton, Missouri, will be demolished by mid-March. The St. Louis Business Journal, citing a newsletter from Fenton's mayor, reported the motel, event space and bar along Interstate 44 will be torn down within a few months. The complex … Continue reading Closed Stratford Inn hotel in Fenton to be torn down by March