12 Oct Boots Motel, Carthage Missouri
The story of the Boots Court Motel in Carthage, Missouri is Route 66 gold! It opened in 1939 at what was then called the “Crossroads of America” – the intersection of US 66 and US Route 71. Its classic deco streamline moderne architectural style featured a covered carport for each room; very unusual for lodgings at that time. After Route 66 was replaced by Interstate 44, the town was bypassed and the place fell into a steady decline. In 2003 there were calls by those in the local community to demolish the property, but fortunately for those of us who love vintage Americana, that effort failed after a huge public outcry. The world is full of incredible people: in 2011 two sisters Deborah Harvey and Priscilla Bledsaw purchased the piece of Route 66 history and began to slowly restore it. In May of 2012 they reopened four rooms for lodging and the first guest was Bob Boots, the son of the original owners who grew up in the motel. Is that heart-warming or what? I love it!
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