Carthage, MO --- The Boots Motel in historic Carthage is for sale
and in possible danger of becoming a parking lot.
Well, not necessarily a parking lot, but another chain drugstore or restaurant
which wouldn't be much different to a roadside or Route 66 enthusiast.
The Boots Motel has been well known for years as a fine lodging establishment
located right on the Mother Road with good hospitality, a historic motel
that's been well taken care of, and a fine neon sign to boot.
It's time to support the Boots Motel and the Friends
of the Mother Road preservation organization towards saving this roadside
treasure from becoming yet another wrecking ball statistic. Please see
the Boots
Motel Action Alert website for details on how to help. Many thanks to Ron Warnick of the Friends of the Mother Road preservation
organization for alerting us to this alarming news.
Yes, there was a time when the future of Boots Court Motel looked anything but certain. Rumors swirled that this classic Route 66 motel in Carthage could disappear, replaced by another chain business that would have looked pretty much like every other corner in America. Thankfully, that's one story that didn't come true.
Built in 1939, Boots Court has long been one of the best-known motels along the Mother Road. Its Streamline Moderne design, individual carports, and famous neon sign make it one of those places that Route 66 travelers naturally gravitate toward. The motel even became known for advertising "a radio in every room," while proudly skipping televisions altogether. That's a marketing slogan that would be hard to pull off today.
Boots
Motel
Carthage, MO Photo by RoadsidePeek.comThe motel started with just four rooms before expanding over the years to meet the growing stream of travelers heading west. Like so many independent motor courts, it evolved as traffic increased, yet somehow managed to retain the personality that made it unique. It's the kind of place where you can still picture families pulling in after a long day on the road and parking right outside their room.
One of the motel's most famous guests was Clark Gable, who reportedly stayed in Room 6 during his cross-country travels. Little details like that only add to the appeal of a place that already has plenty of Route 66 history.
Fortunately, people recognized what made Boots Court worth saving. Instead of disappearing beneath a new development, the motel was preserved, restored, and given a second chance. The result is one of the finest surviving roadside motels anywhere along Route 66.
UPDATE: Boots Court Motel is open once again and welcoming Route 66 travelers after an extensive restoration. The beautifully restored neon sign lights up the property, all 13 guest rooms are back in service, and the motel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2022. It's always nice to see one survive. 07-26
Well, not necessarily a parking lot, but another chain drugstore or restaurant
which wouldn't be much different to a roadside or Route 66 enthusiast.
The Boots Motel has been well known for years as a fine lodging establishment
located right on the Mother Road with good hospitality, a historic motel
that's been well taken care of, and a fine neon sign to boot.
Boots
Motel
