https://youtu.be/FzE3YAZyxf0 Restoration work on the neon sign at El Trovatore Motel in Kingman, Ariz., was finished Thursday, reported owner Sam Frisher in an email. Here are photos of workers laboring over the sign: Also, Frisher gave this fascinating report about the work on El Trovatore Motel's tower sign on the back of the property: We … Continue reading El Trovatore Motel’s main neon sign is restored
Category: Motels
A tour of La Fonda
This video, made a few months ago, shows the history and attractions of La Fonda on the Plaza hotel in Santa Fe, N.M., as well as anything I've seen. https://youtu.be/orNBB0No4nI La Fonda sits just a few feet away from the 1926-37 alignment of Route 66, where the Old Santa Fe Trail meets Water Street.
Luna Lodge in Albuquerque soon will be reborn
The nonprofit NewLife Homes has scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony for noon March 23 for a project that will reuse the historic Luna Lodge motel in Albuquerque into a 30-unit mixed-use development and apartments for low-income families and special-needs people. The redevelopment will preserve the Luna Lodge's Pueblo-style architecture. The Luna, at 9119 Central Ave. (aka Route … Continue reading Luna Lodge in Albuquerque soon will be reborn
Wildfires destroy remnants of Beacon Hill Motel near Rolla
Brush fires Wednesday west of Rolla, Mo., destroyed what was left of the long-closed Beacon Hill Motel that operated on old Route 66, reported The Rolla Daily News. The newspaper reported: A handful of homes were threatened by the fire in the later stages of the battle, but firefighters were able to save them all. … Continue reading Wildfires destroy remnants of Beacon Hill Motel near Rolla
Work on El Trovatore sign tower begins
A few weeks ago, the owners of El Trovatore Motel along Route 66 in Kingman, Ariz., announced they were doing an extensive renovation of the Route 66 landmark. This week, the motel started work on the enormous sign tower. Co-owner Sam Frisher wrote in an email Thursday: Today we are starting by taking down the … Continue reading Work on El Trovatore sign tower begins
Severe storms rake Lebanon, Rolla in Missouri
The storm systems that roared across the Midwest late Tuesday and early Wednesday -- including one that caused fatalities in Harrisburg, Ill. -- affected the Route 66 towns of Lebanon and Rolla in mid-Missouri. Ramona Lehman, longtime co-owner of the Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, said in a phone interview that no damage occurred at … Continue reading Severe storms rake Lebanon, Rolla in Missouri
New owners pledge to improve Highlander Motel
The historic Highlander Motel in Williams, Ariz., has been acquired by a Belgian couple, and they vow to restore and improve the Route 66 motel. The Highlander, built in 1950, was purchased in March 2011 by the husband-and-wife team Alan Aernoudt and Sandra Driesse of Belgium. Because of a long process in getting visas, the couple did … Continue reading New owners pledge to improve Highlander Motel
Queen of the Southwest
KBAQ radio in Phoenix has been broadcasting a series titled "Hearing the Century: Voices of Arizona's Arts Past and Present" during the state's centennial. A recent broadcast focused on early 20th-century architect Mary Colter, widely recognized as one of the greatest of the Southwest. A longtime architect and designer for the Fred Harvey Company, Colter's … Continue reading Queen of the Southwest
Blue Swallow Motel video
I'm not sure whether this is supposed to be some sort of advertisement for the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, N.M. It's effective, regardless. https://youtu.be/RAHOQjllaio The video was created by Petroglyph Pictures, which proclaims to be "capturing America's stories." Petroglyph also produced this video about the Walnut Street Inn, a bed-and-breakfast just south of Route … Continue reading Blue Swallow Motel video
More on the Boots Motel’s reopening
The Carthage Press today posted more information about the reopening of the historic Boots Motel in Carthage, Mo., scheduled for May 8. The opening date was announced a few days ago. A few factoids from the article: --- New owners Pricilla Bledsaw and Deborah Harvey had planned to use the back building of the historic Route … Continue reading More on the Boots Motel’s reopening