Arizona 9 Motor Hotel
Williams, AZ Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
Check out the great neon sign at the Arizona 9 Motor Hotel along old Route 66 in Williams. With the big red “9,” glowing Arizona outline, and Motor Hotel spelled out beneath it, this is one of those signs that makes it hard to keep driving. The motel was being worked on when this photo was taken, and it was good to see the old marquee receiving some attention. 08-06
The property got its start in 1927 when R. P. Thurston opened a gas station here. Four tourist cottages built from local Arizona sandstone were added in 1928, followed by 18 more cottages the next year. The Sutton brothers acquired the place in 1937, calling it Sutton’s Hotel Cottages and later Sutton’s Courts. They also added an early neon sign to catch travelers passing through town.
Arizona 9 Motor Hotel in 2000
Williams, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Whiting Brothers later took over the motel and adjoining filling station during the 1960s. Their familiar red-and-yellow signs were once found all across the Southwest, but most disappeared as traffic moved away from the old highways. After Whiting Brothers sold the property in the early 1990s, it became the Arizona 9 Motor Hotel. The former gas station building is still attached to the west end of the motel, though the pumps are long gone.
Here’s another bit of Route 66 trivia. The Arizona 9 and its neon sign appeared in the 2009 survival thriller The Canyon, which was filmed around Williams and the Grand Canyon.
UPDATE: The Arizona 9 Motor Hotel still features the same marquee and motel and is in great shape in the busy Route 66 town of Williams, AZ. Given that Williams is also known as the Gateway to the Grand Canyon, it's not surprising to the see the crowd here every time I visit. 09-21
UPDATE: The Arizona 9 remains open as a restored roadside motor court, and its classic neon sign is still maintained and illuminated along Route 66. 09-26
Arizona 9 Motor Hotel
Williams, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The sign in 2020
Williams, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
El Rancho Motel
Williams, AZ Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
This classic roadside sign for the El Rancho Motel still stands near the eastern end of the Route 66 loop through Williams. With its red lettering, neon trim, and little ranch-style details, the sign has been welcoming tired travelers for more than 70 years. It fits right in with the collection of old motel signs that still light up this stretch of the Mother Road. 08-06
The El Rancho opened in late 1953 with 18 rooms, a few years earlier than the 1956 date sometimes given for the motel. Early advertisements made sure motorists knew that every room came with a tub and shower. That may not sound too exciting today, but it was worth putting on the sign when Route 66 was filled with small tourist courts competing for the same travelers.
El Rancho Motel
Williams, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
By the late 1950s, room rates reportedly ran around $8 to $10 a night. AAA travel guides described the El Rancho as attractive and well maintained, which was always good news for a family arriving after a long day on the road. The motel was eventually expanded to 20 rooms, with a second-story section added to the original motor-court layout.
The motel is AAA approved and advertises low rates according to the sign in this photograph taken in 2000.
A swimming pool joined the property in 1964, giving summer travelers another reason to pull in for the night. The pool is no longer listed as an amenity, but the El Rancho still has the familiar park-at-your-door arrangement of a traditional Route 66 motel.
UPDATE: The El Rancho Motel has stood the test of time and still stands tall along the edge of the downtown Williams area of Route 66. 09-21
UPDATE: The El Rancho Motel remains open and welcoming Route 66 and Grand Canyon travelers. The rooms have been updated with modern conveniences, while the restored neon sign and vintage roadside appearance continue to give the place plenty of old-road character. 09-26
El Rancho Motel sign still looks good in 2020
Williams, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The motel in 2020
Williams, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Delta Motel (Rem.)
Winslow, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Out on the western edge of Winslow, this big red arrow once pointed Route 66 travelers toward the Delta Motel. The arrow sliced right through the middle of the sign, giving this little 13-room motor court a lot more roadside presence than its size might suggest. It was the kind of sign that made it easy to spot the motel before sailing right past it on the old highway.
The Delta was built around 1962 and was originally operated by Emma and John Gremmel. It is a simple mom-and-pop place with a gable-roof design, exterior room doors, and parking just a few steps from each room. The office was enlarged over the years, changing the appearance of the original roofline, but the motel still has the familiar look of a small Route 66 overnight stop.
The Delta Motel off the old highway
Winslow, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Later owners renovated the rooms with different Americana themes, including Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, the Beatles, and Harley-Davidson. There is a little something for almost everyone, though pairing John Wayne with the Beatles in neighboring rooms sounds like something that could only happen along Route 66.
Unfortunately, the wonderful old arrow sign was removed shortly before this photo was added to RoadsidePeek and replaced with a newer custom sign. Whether the original was saved, sold to a collector, or simply scrapped remains unknown. 09-21
UPDATE: Now known as the Route 66 Delta Motel, the property remains open and continues welcoming travelers on the quieter western side of Winslow. The business has also expanded to include an adjoining RV park. The newer sign keeps the Delta name beside the highway, but that long red arrow cutting through the original lettering is gone. 09-26
Arizona 9 Motor Hotel
Check out the great neon sign at the Arizona 9 Motor Hotel along old Route 66 in Williams. With the big red “9,” glowing Arizona outline, and Motor Hotel spelled out beneath it, this is one of those signs that makes it hard to keep driving. The motel was being worked on when this photo was taken, and it was good to see the old marquee receiving some attention. 08-06
Delta Motel (Rem.)
The Delta Motel off the old highway
