Glenstone Cottage Court Springfield, MO Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans
Here's a vintage motel court that still looks like it belongs on Route 66. Glenstone Cottage Court welcomes travelers with a colorful old marquee advertising good rates and color TV, two things that probably filled plenty of rooms back in the day. Better yet, there's a Kentucky Fried Chicken right next door if the road has worked up an appetite.
Opened in 1947, the motel represents the transition from individual tourist cabins to the attached motel rooms that became common during the postwar travel boom. Originally built with just 17 units, some even included kitchenettes for travelers planning an extended stay. The layout has changed very little over the years, making it a nice glimpse into what thousands of families would have found after pulling off Route 66 for the night.
The sign is the real attention-getter. Its unusual, crown-like design stands out from the typical rectangular motel marquees and gives the property a personality all its own. It may not be the flashiest sign along the Mother Road, but it's easy to see why it catches the eye. Signs like this did a lot of the talking before billboards and online reservations took over.
Springfield has lost a number of its vintage motels over the years, so it's always nice to find one that's still doing what it was built to do.
UPDATE: The motel is still welcoming travelers today as the Glenstone Court Motel. Better yet, the vintage marquee remains standing out front, continuing to greet Route 66 travelers much as it has for nearly 80 years. 07-26
Glenstone Cottage Court
Springfield, MO Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans
Stanley Cour-tel Motel (Demolished)
St. Louis, MO Photo courtesy Kelly Coalier
Here's a vintage motel court that still feels right at home on Route 66. Glenstone Cottage Court welcomes travelers with a colorful old marquee advertising good rates and color TV, two things that probably sold plenty of rooms over the years. Better yet, there's a Kentucky Fried Chicken right next door if the road has worked up an appetite.
Opened in 1947, the motel is one of Springfield's surviving reminders of the early days of postwar automobile travel. Originally built with 17 units, some even featured kitchenettes for families planning more than just an overnight stop. It also marks the transition from the individual tourist cabins of the 1930s and '40s to the attached motel rooms that soon became the standard across America.
The sign is what really makes this place stand out. Its distinctive crown-shaped design gives it a look all its own, and it's the kind of marquee that makes you slow down for a second look. It may have a little age on it, but that's part of its charm. Old signs like this have a way of reminding you what Route 66 once looked like before every exit started looking the same.
UPDATE: The Stanley Cour-tel motel was torn down in 2003 to make way for the airport expansion in St. Louis. The sign has been purchased and moved to the Rabbit Ranch in Staunton, IL. Many thanks to Dennis Dixson for update. 11-05
Sunset Motel (Closed)
St Louis, MO Photo courtesy Don Gardner
Here's an old Route 66 motor court that has been around long enough to see plenty of travelers come and go. The Sunset Motel sits west of St. Louis and still shows off one of Missouri's great old neon motel signs. With its bold lettering, arrow, and classic roadside look, this one was made for catching the eye before the next exit passed by.
The motel dates back to the late 1940s, when motor courts like this were common along Route 66. Its rooms were arranged so guests could enter from the front lawn or from the parking area in back, a handy setup for travelers unloading the car after a long day on the road.
The real star, though, has always been the sign. After sitting dark for years, it was restored in phases beginning in 2009, bringing back one of the better-looking motel marquees along Missouri's stretch of the Mother Road. It's the kind of sign that probably looked even better as the sun went down.
UPDATE: The motel has been closed for years, and a major fire in June 2026 badly damaged part of the vacant building. Fortunately, the restored neon sign sits away from the motel structure and survived the fire. The rooms may be in rough shape, but that great old Sunset sign is still hanging on. 07-26
La Casa Grande Motel (Gone)
St Louis, MO Photo courtesy Don Gardner
Here's another survivor from Route 66's heyday. La Casa Grande Motel welcomed travelers with a distinctive neon sign proudly proclaiming it was "Like A Fine Hotel." Between that slogan and the Southwestern styling of the motel itself, it must have stood out from the crowd along busy Watson Road.
Built in 1941, the motel featured a Pueblo Revival design that gave it a look unlike most roadside courts of the era. While many motels relied on simple block buildings, La Casa Grande offered something with a little more personality. Of course, the big roadside sign helped, too. It was exactly the kind of marquee that made motorists slow down for a second look.
Although the motel eventually stopped renting rooms to overnight travelers, both the buildings and the sign managed to avoid the wrecking ball. That's more than can be said for many of the Mother Road's classic motor courts.
UPDATE: The La Casa Grande Motel sign is now gone. Many thanks to Dennis Dixson for update. 07-07
UPDATE: The motel buildings are still standing today and have been converted into long-term housing. The original neon sign was removed in 2007 for safekeeping, and after being beautifully restored, it was placed back on public display along Route 66 in St. Louis in 2026. It's always nice to see a classic sign find a new home instead of disappearing forever. 07-26
Coral Court Motel (Demolished)
St Louis, MO Photo courtesy Alan Culley
Once considered one of the finest motels on Route 66, Coral Court Motel was hard to mistake for anything else. Its sleek Art Deco styling, curved walls, glass block windows, and towering roadside sign gave it a futuristic look that must have seemed straight out of tomorrow when it opened. This was one motel that knew how to make a first impression. 06-07
Built in the early 1940s, Coral Court was unlike the typical roadside motor court. Nearly every room included its own private garage, allowing travelers to pull in, close the door, and unload without worrying about the weather. The unique design earned the motel a loyal following and, over the years, a colorful reputation as well.
As traffic shifted to Interstate 44, business slowly faded. Despite being listed on the National Register of Historic Places and a determined preservation effort, the motel closed in 1993 and was demolished two years later. It was a heartbreaking loss for Route 66 fans and lovers of mid-century architecture.
UPDATE: Although the motel has been gone since 1995, part of Coral Court lives on. Before demolition, one of the original two-unit buildings was carefully dismantled and reconstructed inside the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, where visitors can still experience a piece of this remarkable Route 66 motel. Unfortunately, the fate of the original roadside sign remains unknown. 07-26
Glenstone Cottage Court
Stanley Cour-tel Motel (Demolished)
Sunset Motel (Closed)
La Casa Grande Motel (Gone)
