Tucumcari, New Mexico (pronounced Two-come-carry) is a mecca for Route
66 enthusiasts and one of my favorite towns to visit for roadside
nostalgia. There are many examples of great old signage remaining in
the town. The place really does take you back to an earlier time.
There are also plenty of motels remaining from the hey-day of the Mother
Road albeit not in as good of shape as they were in the 1950's and
60's. Some motels though are probably even nicer than what they were
back then as new owners have refurbished them to preserve the history of
the road and the town. It runs the gamut in Tucumcari.
The Blue Swallow Motel (above) is one of the more famous on Route 66. I talked with the current owner who bought the motel several years ago. He and his wife have lovingly brought the motel back to the glory of the past. It even has 1950's phones and furniture in the rooms.
The Lasso's Sign is great right down to the color tv ad. The motel building is gone though, demolished in 2010.
The Americana is still going strong.
The Redwood has new owners and is being fixed up.
The Palomino is a clean motel with a great sign.
The Apache is abandoned but still standing. Time will tell whether is gets saved and restored.
The Pony Soldier is gone but the sign remains.
