Mantle’s Hometown Statue
CONTENTS
Imperial Highway, California. Photograph by Brennen Matthews.
18 The Famous Gasconade
Once a vital link for travelers, this architectural gem stands as a testament to America’s golden age of road trips. Whether you’re a history buff, photography lover, or road warrior, this iconic bridge is a stop that captures the spirit of the Mother Road in all its essence.
22 Gasoline Alley
By Mitchell Brown
Step back in time at Gasoline Alley in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. This vintage-inspired destination celebrates classic cars, memorabilia, and the golden age of the Mother Road. Gasoline Alley offers a perfect slice of history and charm, and they have a great story to share.
36 Route 66 Odyssey
From retro motels dripping with nostalgia to fabulous boutique hotels that redefine road trip luxury, and more, our 2025 hotlist rounds up must-visit venues along America’s most iconic highway, Route 66. Whether you’re after classic neon vibes, desert sunsets, or modern comfort with a vintage twist, these hot spots make every stop unforgettable. Check out who made this year’s most important list.
50 Tires and Time
By Cheryl Eicher Jett
For over 70 years, O’Brien’s Tire in Granite City, Illinois, has been keeping Route 66 travelers rolling. Known for exceptional service and old-school charm, this family-run shop is more than a pit stop—it’s a piece of highway history.
56 A Conversation with Helen Hunt
By Brennen Matthews
From her breakout role in Mad About You to her Oscarwinning performance in As Good as It Gets, Helen Hunt has captivated audiences for decades. With a career spanning film, TV, and directing, she remains a versatile force in Hollywood, blending charisma and depth in every role she takes on. But there is much more to Hunt than what we see on screen.
64 California Dreamin’
By Eva Massey
With stunning views of the Pacific, elegant accommodations, and mere steps from the iconic Stearns Wharf, this historic boutique hotel offers relaxation and style. More than just a gateway to the beauty and charm of California’s Riviera, Harbor View Inn is a venue that has adapted to its seaside culture and town for almost 80 years!
ON THE COVER
Oatman Hotel in the ghost town of Oatman, AZ. Photograph by Efren Lopez/ Route66Images.
EXPLORE GRANTS!
There is plenty for everyone to see and do in Grants, NM. Cruise, Camp, Hike, Sightsee, Stargaze, Eat, Enjoy, Shop and Stay a while. Experiences here are authentic, from our diverse cultures and distinctive landscapes found nowhere else, to the people who are warmhearted and sincere.
Welcome to the first issue of ROUTE Magazine for 2025! As the calendar flips to a brand-new year, so too does our spirit of adventure, exploration, and the open road. There’s something about the promise of opportunity — a renewed sense of purpose, and endless miles of untapped potential stretching out before us like a two-lane highway. For road-trippers, January doesn’t just mark the beginning of a new year; it marks the first exit ramp toward another season of discovery. It’s a time to start planning the trips that will fill our hearts with stories and our dashboards with dusty mementos. Whether you’re dreaming of Route 66’s quirky roadside attractions, cruising along California’s sun-drenched Pacific Coast Highway, or tracing the historic byways of the Blue Ridge Mountains, there’s a road calling your name. For me personally, I am keen to once again revisit my favorite routes, while drifting off to seek out new ones. That is one of the coolest things about Route 66; it runs through eight incredible states that each offer so much to see, do, and enjoy, and none of it is too far away from the Mother Road. Road trips have always been about freedom — a unique blend of spontaneity and structure that allows us to embrace the unexpected while still moving forward. It’s the hum of tires against the pavement, the joy of stumbling upon a diner with the world’s best pie, the laughter shared with family or friends as you sing along to a half-forgotten song on the radio. It’s about slowing down, soaking in landscapes that remind us how vast and varied our country truly is, and connecting to something much bigger than ourselves.
This year, ROUTE Magazine is more committed than ever to celebrating the beauty of America’s highways, byways, backroads, and big cities. As travelers, we know the value of the journey itself — of taking the long way around and appreciating all the little details that make the American road trip experience so unforgettable.
In this issue, and every one to follow in 2025, we’re here to share these stories: the hidden gems tucked away in small-town America, the history embedded in road markers and landmarks, and the people who breathe life into our highways with their traditions, dreams, and unrelenting hospitality. We’re thrilled to kick off this new year with feature articles that will inspire and ignite your wanderlust.
In this edition, we are excited to present our annual Hot List of the best hotels, motels, and venues along the iconic Mother Road. Route 66 is renowned for its unforgettable neon and quirky signage that adorns countless historic properties, but some stand out just a bit more. This year’s list also highlights exceptional boutique hotels that offer a glimpse into a more luxurious stay. These unique properties often boast rich histories but have been thoughtfully modernized to ensure guests enjoy both comfort and character. In addition, we celebrate brand-name venues in select towns — trusted for their reliability and consistent quality — that are worthy of recognition. Some of my most noteworthy experiences have been at a Hampton Inn or a Holiday Inn.
Above all, each featured property was chosen for the exceptional experience that it provides road travelers. From outstanding service to captivating ambiance, these locations embody the spirit of Route 66 and are sure to enhance any journey along this legendary highway. So, take some time and study this list. We’ve selected carefully in order to aid you in having a terrific journey along America’s most famous highway. We also spend some great time with an actress that has been near and dear to American audiences since the 90s — Helen Hunt. In this personal, fresh conversation, get to know the lady behind some of your favorite films and discover a few behind the scenes secrets. We also celebrate several iconic destinations along the road that are no longer welcoming visitors, at least not actively. But that does not change how important they once were or still are to American road travel and lovers of classic Americana. As we step into 2025, we invite you to take the wheel and embrace the journey. Wherever the road leads you this year, let ROUTE Magazine be your guide, your companion, and your reminder to always take the scenic route. Because the best part of any road trip isn’t just where you end up — it’s how you got there and the people who shared your journey.
Here’s to the miles ahead, the roads yet traveled, and the memories waiting just beyond the next curve.
Best,
Brennen Matthews
Editor
ROUTE
PUBLISHER
Thin Tread Media
EDITOR
Brennen Matthews
DEPUTY EDITOR
Kate Wambui
EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Nick Gerlich
LEAD EDITORIAL
PHOTOGRAPHER
David J. Schwartz
LAYOUT AND DESIGN
Tom Heffron
DIGITAL
Yasir Ahmed
ILLUSTRATOR
Jennifer Mallon
EDITORIAL INTERNS
Emma Steinmetz
Jake Baur
CONTRIBUTORS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS
Andy Mulligan
Derek Smoulder
Cheryl Eichar Jett
Efren Lopez
Emma Steinmetz
Eva Massey
JoAnn Chang
John Russo
KC Keefer
Mark Skovorodko
Mitchell Brown
Robert Reck
Editorial submissions should be sent to brennen@routemagazine.us.
To subscribe or purchase available back issues visit us at www.routemagazine.us.
Advertising inquiries should be sent to advertising@routemagazine.us.
ROUTE is published six times per year by Thin Tread Media. No part of this publication may be copied or reprinted without the written consent of the Publisher. The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the Publisher, Editor, or service contractors. Every effort has been made to maintain the accuracy of the information presented in this publication. No responsibility is assumed for errors, changes or omissions. The Publisher does not take any responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photography.
A STATION IS REBORN
As Route 66 winds southwest through Edwardsville, Illinois — now designated as State Route 157 — it transforms into St. Louis Street, where a humble 1,200-square-foot, sand-colored brick building quietly claims its place as the town’s oldest enduring façade.
Situated at the corner of West Street, the aptly named West End Service Station has been a fixture almost as long as the Mother Road itself. Its original red-brick structure was built in 1927, standing as a beacon for early adventurers embarking on journeys into the great unknown.
The two-pump station began its life as Springer’s Madison Oil Company, a venture launched by Henry Springer, a well-to-do businessman who operated the business while Mobil Oil Corporation retained ownership of the building, leasing it to entrepreneurs. Springer managed the station successfully — even weathering the Great Depression — but in 1936, at the height of its success, he sold the business to Robert Smith and Ralph Ladd. The new owners renamed it Ladd’s West End Service Station, with Ladd enlisting his brother Earl to assist in running the operation.
Meanwhile, the then ten-year-old Mother Road was also poised for change.
“In 1937, all the roads on Route 66 were reconstructed through Edwardsville, and they were approached by the State of Illinois about rerouting, [and] resurfacing Route 66. They widened the pavement and moved from brick streets to paved roads,” said SJ Morrison, an alderman for Edwardsville City Council. “Construction didn’t actually begin until 1939, but when that happened, it made travel so much nicer. So, there was increased business and they needed an expanded station.”
place where neighbors and customers assembled to read the newspaper, catch up on local gossip, or sit around and listen to a ball game on the radio. It was sort of a neighborhood hangout.”
However, in 1960, interstate 55 ripped its way through Illinois, diverting 66’s previously unmatched traffic and ushering in its decline. Mobil raised the rent, so Dohle and Heidinger sold operations to Ralph Ellsworth, a local businessman who renamed it Ralph’s Mobil Service Station. In 1964, after outgrowing the lot, Ellsworth sold the building and moved business to the corner of West and Short streets, keen to the fact that service stations were morphing into the convenient gas and snack havens that travelers now know and love. Thus, the service station business at West End drew to a close, but it would find surprising new life as a dentist office after being purchased and remodeled by John Beatty that same year. In 1981, dentist Dale Clawson took over until retiring in 2021, when the Illinois Department Of Transportation bought the building, seeking to demolish it and expand the Route 157 and West Street intersection. However, this would not fly with SJ Morrison.
The original structure was soon torn down for a larger one, with two bays for quicker service, a small store space on the left, and the light yellow brick exterior seen today. Its Grand Opening ceremony was in August 1939.
“Because of his bad eyesight, [Earl] eventually needed to get out of the business. So, in 1948, Hank Dohle and Doc Heidinger bought the station. They both worked locally in the automobile service industry, and were well known individuals in town. They ran it longer than anybody, from 1948 to 1959,” recalled Morrison. “It became a
“I’m a member of Edwardsville City Council, and I have been involved with saving old buildings that I think have historical value, so I went to our staff at the city and said, ‘Do you think IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation) would give us the building?’ IDOT said, ‘No, we have to sell it at a public auction.’ Then I approached the Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau, and we found out that this was one of the last remaining Route 66 service stations within 60 miles. So, we were like, ‘Wow, you got to be kidding me,’” recalled Morrison. “We applied for a grant, got $460,000, and were able to buy the station from the state. We hired an architect, and renovated and restored it.”
West End was unveiled to an adoring public once again in June 2023, its almost 90-year-old exterior welcomed, this time, by those seeking knowledge about this little station’s big history. It is not only a historic landmark, but also a spot for free events and community meetings, harkening back to its past as an unassuming neighborhood hangout and kitschy tourist attraction on one of the most iconic roads in America.
Photograph by Brennen Matthews.
THE FAMOUS GASCONADE
Photograph by David J. Schwartz - Pics On Route 66
The Gasconade River meanders in a crooked, northeastern flow from Wright County, Missouri, to Gasconade County, Missouri, where it meets up with the mighty Mississippi River. Known for being one of the country’s most crooked rivers, the Gasconade River has many bridges intersecting its 271 miles of watery twists and turns. However, there is one bridge that stands out among the rest. Constructed between the years 1922 to 1924 in Hazelgreen, Missouri, the Gasconade River Bridge predates even the historic Route 66 that it now resides along. While Route 66 is home to many an old truss bridge, the Gasconade River Bridge has a unique multi-truss design — two steel Parker through trusses, one steel Pratt through truss and one pony truss — that marks it as unmistakably home in Missouri.
Primarily made with steel construction, exposed rivets, and its three types of trusses, this bridge shows its age in more ways than one. Rusted steel and a crumbling highway deck show the century-old wear and tear of semi-frequent river flooding, corrosive road salt, and the decades of traffic flow from Route 66. A routine inspection of the bridge in December 2014 revealed excessive corrosion and fractured critical components, a finding that led to the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) ruling it unsafe for normal traffic and ultimately closing it. While the bridge has remained closed to vehicular traffic in the almost decade since its closure, pedestrian and bicycle traffic has not completely ceased — despite the bridge’s potentially unsafe conditions.
Due to the exorbitant cost and tedious work of constructing a truss bridge, many of them have found themselves replaced with their new-fashioned counterparts of concrete. Following the permanent closure of the Gasconade River Bridge, a new bridge was built in 2019 less than 1,000 feet downstream. The new bridge addresses the need for thru traffic in the area — especially in the instance of interstate closures leading to rerouted detours — and was met with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and antique car procession across the concrete monolith. Despite the need for it and the positive reception that the new bridge brought, locals were still vehemently opposed when MoDOT put forward plans to demolish the old bridge. The Gasconade River Bridge is one of the few remaining truss bridges, not only in Missouri, but along
the Route 66 corridor. With so many old truss bridges being demolished, the locals and Route 66 preservationists alike are passionate about the importance of preserving a historical landmark that represents a turning point — not only for Missouri or Route 66 — but for the world’s history.
“There used to be hundreds of these bridges scattered throughout Missouri. Now you just don’t see them anymore, they’re gone,” said Rich Dinkela, the president of Route 66 Association of Missouri. “It represents so much. It represents skillsets that aren’t used anymore. It was the coming of an age of America, the 1920s. We saw this entire new generation of people who were mobilized; not by horse and buggy, but by internal-combustion, engine-powered vehicles. This bridge helped usher that era in, so it’s not just a bridge. It represents huge, huge steps in innovation for this country and for the world.”
The Gasconade River Bridge Guardians, a group comprised of passionate locals — among them Dinkela — was formed to ensure the bridge’s survival, despite continued demolishment efforts. “We convinced people across the FHWA (The Federal Highway Administration)… that we would be a good and practical owner of the bridge,” explained Dinkela. “They kind of got involved and intervened and sided with us on the occasions against MoDOT, and ultimately that’s what led to us getting the bridge. If it wasn’t for the Federal Highway getting involved, then the bridge would have been destroyed back in 2019.” Years of tedious work and unbreakable dedication to this 100-year-old bridge proved fruitful in September 2023, when the bridge was signed over to the care of the Route 66 Association of Missouri. With the battle for bridge finally over, the focus now turns to a hopeful future. For the time being, the bridge will have to remain closed to public use until it is deemed that pedestrians can safely traverse its old, steel bones once more. As fences are erected and signage posted to ward off hopeful “trespassers,” plans are already in the works to eventually reopen the bridge to all those who wish to cross it on foot. Although the Gasconade River Bridge will never see the automotive traffic that it ushered across its historic highway deck all those decades ago, it will forever remain a treasured part of Missouri’s Route 66 history. As for now, the old bridge is quietly and patiently awaiting the funds to care for its eventual stabilization and hopeful restoration.
WHERE THE MOTHER ROAD AND MOTHER NATURE INTERSECT FOR SOME GREAT TIMES.
MOTHER NATURE’S HAPPY PLACE
Skip the interstate and take a trip down Historic Route 66 in Pulaski County! Our 33-mile stretch of classic Americana and breathtaking scenery is filled with delightful diners, dozens of shops, and can’t-miss stops like the Route 66 Neon Park, opening in spring 2025. Discover unforgettable experiences only these two moms can deliver.
Come Say “Hi” to our favorite moms. Plan your trip at pulaskicountyusa.com.
DEVILS ELBOW ROUTE 66
GASOLINE ALLEY
By Mitchell Brown
Photographs by David J. Schwartz - Pics On Route 66
Small businesses are the lifeblood that fuel the economy of the United States. Every massive conglomerate like Amazon, Target, or Apple started with a single person or a select few people who wanted to run their own shop and bring a product into the world. Whether it be something they believed could benefit another person or something they thought that they could make a living selling, the most prominent businesses often come from the humblest of beginnings. Route 66 is like a magnet that draws in unique and sometimes niche businesses. Many have been around for decades, but some are still in their infancy and steadily growing. Some are restaurants or hotels to welcome those who need a break from a long — potentially crosscountry — drive, while others are more distinct but fitting with the culture — specifically car culture — often connected to the Mother Road. One such occurrence stands in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, the city that’s home to the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum. It’s there that a relatively new but thriving shop celebrates the past of the city it lives in, the historic road it’s built on, and a passionate love for automobilia. Welcome to Gasoline Alley Classics.
Part of Sapulpa’s stretch of Route 66, located on the corner of Main Street and Hobson Avenue in historic downtown Sapulpa, Gasoline Alley Classics is the brainchild of cofounder Michael Jones, a resident not of Sapulpa, but of Broken Arrow in northern Oklahoma. While not easy to immediately identify by passing onlookers whether it’s a store or a museum due to its extensive automotive commemorative items and cars that line the showroom, Gasoline Alley Classics is a shop that specializes in nostalgic memorabilia and décor that is fit for the mancave of any car enthusiast. However, like all successful businesses, it didn’t start out neat and polished.
Street Rodders
To understand where Gasoline Alley Classics comes from, we must go back to 1994. The same year that the internet was created, and Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as President of South Africa, Street Rodder magazine published a photo of a pair of strollers that were in the style of classic-looking cars. These strollers were imagined and brought to life by Jones, who at that time didn’t have any career ambitions in the auto industry and was working as a sales representative for Nestle—later retitled Nestle Carnation, following a merger. However, Jones was a car fanatic who wanted to bring his young sons, Austin and Evan, to car shows, while pushing them around in something that wasn’t your run-of-the-mill pram. Jones enjoyed working on his car in high school, but this project was a new experience.
The endeavor involved taking a 1940s-era BMC pedal car and repurposing it, with the help of some friends, by welding it and painting it. The other involved scaling up a model of
a 1937 Ford convertible and sculpting it from Styrofoam. Before Jones had even finished constructing them, there was an inkling that he might have created something that people would be interested in buying; a fact that would be confirmed on one of the strollers’ earliest uses. “Before we called the cars complete and had the bodies made, somebody said, ‘Michael, you could probably sell those,’ so we ended up pulling fiberglass molds out of them, and I started selling bodies to people. Then they could build their own,” said Jones. “I remember going to one particular car show in Illinois, and I was pushing my son around and hearing funny things. I remember going by one guy who said to his friend, ‘He’s got more money in the paint job in his [little] car then you’ve got in yours.’”
After putting the strollers together, Jones discovered a friend who was skilled at making miniature gas pumps. He wanted one to create a set with the strollers. However, he discovered that his friend didn’t plan on making any more of them and intended to sell his tools. So, Jones bought the tools from him, and with the help of his uncle, Larry Dunne, they created miniature pumps of their own and started showing them off at car shows. At one show in particular, a woman approached them and said that if they had a smaller one, she would use it as a table lamp. Since they already had moldings to make smaller pumps, this inspired them to convert them into lamps. They reached out later to that customer, and she received one of the first models. From there, Jones began restoring parking meters and drive-in speakers. These were their earliest products, and it’s what kicked everything off.
Working Out of the Garage
In the beginning, it was just Jones, his uncle Larry, and his friend Bob McCray. Larry was a high school and college admissions recruiter at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami, Oklahoma. Bob was a retiree from a Phillips 66 station, which gave him some know-how in the auto trade. Things started primitively with Jones being the primary salesperson and making calls to wholesale companies. At the same time, Bob and Larry did most of the assembly, with the work being done out of Jones’ garage over weekends and selling what they made and restored at trade shows and national car shows. “As we went to these car shows, we met people there, and that’s how we found out about the catalog companies,” said Jones. “It didn’t take us very long to get the business going because we had some contacts even before we bought all that equipment. I’d have to say that within the first three to five years, it was always growing and moving upwards.”
And grow they did. Their days were swamped with building their inventory, ordering materials in bulk, and reaching out to more outlets and businesses specializing in mancave décor catalogs to ensure the business kept growing. Being forward thinkers, they incorporated the business in 1996. Just a year later, they would come across an IP that was sorely overlooked by the trademark office but would become a mascot for the business years later: Lady Luck. People are generally still familiar with Betty Boop, but Lady Luck, not so much. She is a character geared toward car culture who was frequently used as a pin-up girl to be painted on the nose and sides of bomber planes during World War I. Since no one had the foresight to trademark the image, Jones made quick work of obtaining it. “I noticed
that Lady Luck was listed in there and no one had registered or trademarked her, so I got with my trademark attorney, we applied for it, and we’ve had her ever since,” continued Jones.
Jones didn’t quit his day job as a sales representative (at Hershey’s, where he worked for 13 years) until 2006, a decade later. By then, they were selling wholesale to catalogs. That same year, he and Larry acquired a warehouse in an industrial park five miles away from his house. Besides the change of venue, they also upgraded their gear by purchasing some like-new equipment (having only been used for six months) from a friend in Oklahoma City. This meant that they could manufacture the products and powder-coat them without sending them to an outside source. The business was starting to boom. Unfortunately, Bob wouldn’t see it, as he would leave the company (on good terms) and lose touch with the duo sometime in the early 2000s. A short time later, he passed away. Tragically, he would not get to see the business bloom into what it would eventually evolve into.
Working Solo
From 2006 to 2015, Jones operated the shop, powder-coating and creating signs. The former involved spraying anything from patio furniture, wheels on cars, or even tornado shelters. The act is more durable than spray paint and creates what Jones describes as a “baked-on finish.” He would also make signs for businesses and individuals, often vinyl or window graphics, that could be used for exterior and interior applications, many of which were business logos that could
be found in office complexes. Following the loss of his Uncle Larry in 2013, Jones would carry the weight of the business himself. However, by the time 2015 came around, the business would find its home in Sapulpa.
While Sapulpa is a city that makes the most of Route 66 passing through its city limits, when Jones came to visit, it hadn’t quite hit its stride yet. While there were landmarks like the Waite Phillips Filling Station, Tee Pee Drive-in Theater, Happy Burger, and even the annual Route 66 Blowout Car Show, The Heart of Route 66 Museum wouldn’t open for another year, and the Route 66 Christmas Chute wouldn’t come into existence until 2022. It was in 2015 that Jones met with Cindy Lawrence, director of Sapulpa Main Street — an organization for which Jones would eventually become Board President — and he mentioned that he loved the downtown area and had affection for the older buildings surrounding the Mother Road.
In response, the director showed him around town with her friend, Larry White. As they walked, Jones casually noted that he had a potential interest in buying property. White informed them that he knew about one building in particular that wasn’t made public yet. “It was called the Williams Sewing Center. And J.E. Williams was the owner,” said Jones. “I walked through those front doors, and I had a vision of what I could do with the building. Sometimes, some things just click with you, and it did that day. Larry said he called J.E., and J.E. said he wanted to talk to me the next day. So, we did and got acquainted, and a couple of weeks later, he called me back over, and that’s when everything
Michael Jones.
kind of fell into place.” The deal was made in March 2015, and after the purchase was completed and the building was cleared out, by July 2015, the building would belong to Michael Jones. That’s when the real work began. The building was a perfect fit for a business specializing in automobile memorabilia. In 1917, it had been home to the Sapulpa Motor Company Model T Plant & Dealership and by 2015 still had the bones and foundation of a car dealership. The building had a brick façade and large rectangular front windows ideal for passing onlookers to catch a glimpse of the cars on display inside. Unfortunately, the building could be considered on the rare side of cooked and wasn’t in the proper condition yet to welcome customers. After several occupants’ worth of neglect, the building needed to have work done. Lots of work. The electrical system and plumbing had to be replaced entirely, and the floors and walls had to be stripped down and replaced. Ceilings, rafters, duct work, everything — including the front windows — had to be fixed, replaced, or improved somehow. While others could see this as a burden, call it a money pit, or view it as an overwhelming workload, Jones was excited to take on the task.
Bringing a Dream to Life
“DIY” gets thrown around a lot, but that was exactly the case when Jones began work on Gasoline Alley Classics’ new home. There would be next to no outside help, and everything would be paid out of pocket. It would take him seven years to complete. “That was the 401K; we didn’t take out any loans,” shared Jones. “We did all the work ourselves, and that was the only way to stretch the dollar. The only things we didn’t do was the heat, the air, and the windows. We did the electrical and the plumbing. We repurposed all the wood in the building. I’m not a professional, so I’m not fast. It wasn’t until the last three months that the other five
people came on board and helped me finish it. I stayed true to my vision on the whole project.”
During the years of restoring the building, Jones’ primary source of income came from his powder-coating and sign business. He worked alongside his wife Teresa (who had and still maintains a full-time job in the health care industry while also helping with the shop), his two sons, and at least six friends at one point. It was a team effort. All of this was done behind paper-lined windows of the Sapulpa Motor Company building to try to bring it to life while also keeping their heads above water.
After seven years and two months, Gasoline Alley Classics would have its official grand opening on September 2, 2022, and reveal what was growing from behind those paper-lined windows. The timing was perfect because it opened before the annual Route 66 Blowout Car Show, so Sapulpa had more than its fair share of Route 66 enthusiasts in town. Once the doors were opened, the guests would bear witness to the exhibit honoring the historic road. The showroom floor was filled to the gills with product displays crafted from gas pumps and the beds of pickup trucks. The walls had exposed brick, giving the place an authentic, rustic feel; signs hung from the ceiling, and the glossy-finished wood floor was stained with a massive Route 66 shield and a map of all eight states that the iconic road spreads across.
Keeping with the dealership lineage of the building, Jones lined the massive front windows with a 1926 Model T Touring and a 1929 Model A Roadster pickup truck. Both were lent out by friends of Jones. Whatever hung from the walls or rested on the showroom floor that Jones didn’t make himself was memorabilia that he collected during the offhours of his travels while working for Nestle and Hershey. It’s a collection twenty-five years in the making.
While Gasoline Alley Classics is a recent addition to Route 66’s long line of self-starters, it has already begun to make a name for itself. Within its first three months of opening, its guestbook acquired over 2,200 visitors from forty states and twenty-one countries. By the time it reached its first anniversary, it had reached forty-eight states and fifty countries. It has also received several acknowledgments from the community when, in 2023, it received two Oklahoma Main Street Awards for ‘Best Visual Merchandising’ and ‘Best Adaptive Reuse of a Historical Building.’ While often confused for a museum, with some guests asking what the admission price is to get in, Gasoline Alley Classics is a shining example of what can happen when you have a dream shared by others and the hard work and determination to bring it to life.
Inside is a throwback to yesteryear.
FUN TO STAY AT THE YMCA
By Aaron Garza
St. Louis, Missouri, one of the most iconic cities found along the Mother Road, boasts no shortage of Route 66 landmarks: from classic eateries like Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, breathtaking engineering marvels like the Chain of Rocks Bridge, to, of course, the legendary Gateway Arch. Many of these icons have lingered around the Mound City for decades, relatively unchanged. Others, though, have gone through a few face lifts and rebrands, the loss of old owners and instatement of new ones. Old stones housing new stories. One such old stone beginning a new story is that of the 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis, a tale of transformation that begins with a grand structure on Locust Street whose compelling narrative goes back 180 years. It was the year 1844, in newly industrialized London, that 22-year-old George Williams, a department store worker, had an idea about how to tackle the social challenges brought about by the Industrial Revolution. Together with some friends, he formed The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), — 134 years before the Village People would pen their 1978 hit of a similar name — in an effort to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of the increasing number of young men in search of work.
Stories of this youth organization spread quickly throughout Europe and by 1851, the idea had traveled across the ocean. Retired sea captain and missionary, Thomas Valentine Sullivan, established the first U.S. YMCA branch in his hometown of Boston. Soon, YMCAs were springing up in cities across America like wildfire. St. Louis opened their own YMCA in 1853, becoming the 16th U.S. city to embrace the trend. A fire in their first headquarters in early 1921 forced them into a new building completed in 1926. Constructed in the Renaissance Revival style, the ten-story structure featured a flat roof with parapet, symmetrical façade, carved detailing, and a rounded archway entrance. It included a lobby, recreational rooms, six floors of sleeping rooms, athletic facilities, and a swimming pool. Its grandeur was significant not only for its distinctive architecture but also for the social, cultural, and historical commentary it would provide.
“This building is just absolutely majestic,” said Christopher Randall, Director of Community Impact at 21c Museum Hotel in St. Louis. “That is probably one of the best words to describe it. The internal and external décor make this a beautiful place to even just drive past. The building was made for gathering, being a regional YMCA. Something I didn’t even notice until I was all the way in it, but when they built the community YMCAs, they were basically replicas of this building, just scaled down.”
A long-storied history of this Downtown YMCA building, as it was known, eventually drew to a close in 2017, when it merged with other local YMCA organizations to form the Gateway Region YMCA. However, that’s not where the building’s story ends, thanks to 21c Museum Hotels. “21c was founded in 2006 by Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson. They are avid art collectors and leaders from the
community,” continued Randall. “Based out of Louisville, Kentucky, the initial concept came from them wanting an amazing space to display their collection of art. They decided to purchase a hotel property down in Louisville. They eventually expanded out to eight different properties. We’re the eighth property in the brand and have the largest amount of gallery space. We’re a contemporary art museum with a hotel.”
A preservationist group at heart, 21c Museum Hotels takes old historic buildings and restores and transforms them into immersive spaces that challenge the traditional notions of both hotels and museums. By combining a boutique hotel with a contemporary art museum, 21c Museum Hotels ground-breaking concept offers a unique and culturally enriching experience where the art is accessible to both guests and the public, for free. When the YMCA moved out of the Locust Street property in 2017, it didn’t take long for Brown and Wilson to take interest in this property that had been a witness to the evolution of St. Louis from a bustling river city to a modern metropolis. By 2018 Brown and Wilson had bought the beautifully imposing structure and kicked off an extensive renovation and refitting effort that would last for the next five years. The restoration embraced the historic elements of the former YMCA building, preserving its architectural splendor while infusing it with a modern, artistic spirit. The result is a hotel that serves as both a time capsule of St. Louis history and a canvas for the ever-evolving world of contemporary art.
And so, in August of 2023, 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis officially opened its doors with 173 contemporary guest rooms, fitted with luxurious bedding and original works of art on the walls, two restaurants, 14,000 square feet of exhibition space, and the Locust Street Athletic and Swim Club, which features the restored historic lap pool. But the hotel is not just a place to stay, play, and rest; it is a living gallery, with curated rotating exhibitions displayed throughout its halls and public spaces. From the moment you enter the lobby, you are greeted by immersive and thought-provoking works of art.
Prizing their ability to help get the names of emerging talented artists out there, 21c Museum Hotels values the cultural impact of art from the 21st Century, exclusively showcasing art originating from this side of the year 2000. Their collections and exhibits are switched out every nine months or so. One of the iconic features of 21c Museum hotels is their penguin mascots, and for the St. Louis location, you will have fun finding several of these life-sized, bright resplendent orange penguins strategically placed throughout the hotel.
Surrounded by storied history, immersed in a dynamic artistic environment, and welcomed by whimsical orange penguins, 21c Museum Hotel St, Louis stands as a testament to the city’s rich past and its vibrant cultural present. And just like the Village People say: It’s fun to stay at the YMCA. Especially when it’s a 21c Museum property!
TRAVELER’S HAVEN
By JoAnn Chang
Photograph by David J. Schwartz - Pics On Route 66
The advent of American road travel led to many things that we still enjoy today. The need for places to rest and refuel led to the creation of a combination of highway service area, restaurant, and lodging, all wrapped into one convenience spot. Very few of the historic places remain today, but one location — The Big Chief Roadhouse — stands as a testament to this glamorous era of the travel of yesteryear; one of the few remaining full-service restaurants on Route 66. Before these stopovers gained popularity, it was common to camp for the night by simply pulling off to the side of the road. Travel was rough and at times haphazard. Seeing the need, entrepreneurs raced to fill the void. One popular chain was the Pierce-Pennant Petroleum Terminals, which built several locations across Missouri. Many believe that The Big Chief was one of these locations, but The Highway Hotel Corporation, a competitor, constructed it. When constructed, The Big Chief Highway Hotel stood out as one of the largest of its kind. Opened in 1929 in Pond, Missouri (modern day Wildwood), it held a prime location on the path of both Route 50 and 66. It featured 62 cabins (complete with carport or garage with each cabin, because your automobile was considered part of the family), a gas station, and a large restaurant. Over time, it also grew to include a car wash, service station, and chauffer’s quarters. The hotel center court was gated and locked for privacy and security. Travelers only gained access to the interior once they approved of their lodgings and agreed to stay for the night. Only these travelers were allowed to make use of the amenities on the gated grounds.
The centerpiece of the complex was the full-service restaurant. Most tourist hotels at the time only offered simple fare at a café. The Big Chief Highway Hotel offered this as well, but stood apart from the rest with this luxury offering. In a nod to the Californian destination of many travelers on the now famed Route 66, the restaurant complex imitated an old Spanish mission, complete with arches and even a false bell tower. The construction of the hotel cost nearly $200,000. Cabins were priced at $4 for the night, and a steak dinner in the restaurant priced at $.75.
In 1932, just a few years after opening, the fate of The Big Chief took a turn for the uncertain when the path of Route 66 shifted. “Folklore says that back when they aligned for Route 66 to Highway 44, Big Chief became desolate at that time. It became apartments that locals would rent by the month, and that’s when the stories come out about Babe Ruth coming and staying there. A lot of Mafia things, activities happening because they could hide their cars and have meetings and use the restaurant,” said Stephanie Wilson, current owner of The Big Chief.
The restaurant eventually closed in 1949, but in 1950, Marco & Rose Aceto purchased the property, intending to reopen the restaurant and bring the venue back to life. Unfortunately, they could not secure a permit and instead lived in the restaurant and continued to rent the cabins for
$100-$125 a month. In 1959, they pulled down the old false bell tower and finally reopened the property as a bar. Fast forward to 1975 and Lee Allen leased the property and eventually bought the complex and five acres. At this point, none of the original buildings were used for their original purpose. Eventually, the cabins were demolished due to disrepair. The restaurant building remained, but was used as a revolving collection of stores and business offices. The spirit of The Big Chief was no more.
Then, in 1993, there was a new glimmer of life. Todd DeVille, a local realtor, had a vision and wanted to see The Big Chief return to its former glory. DeVille completely renovated the restaurant complex, which was infested with termites. After $1 million in renovations, The Big Chief Dakota Grill opened on June 29, 1995. The new restaurant offered an old west flare with saddles and native American relics decorating the space, videos of cattle drives and rodeos played, and songs from bands like the Sons of the Pioneers serenaded guests. The Big Chief was reborn! DeVille had plans to expand the property, including a living history museum with five log houses styled from the 1800s and a teepee village with demonstrations where the cabins once beckoned weary travelers. Sadly, those plans were never realized by DeVille.
The Big Chief Dakota Grill closed in March 2012, when the property was sold to current owner Stephanie Wilson. For years, the idea of one day owning a restaurant was a constant draw, but family commitments kept that from becoming a reality. “My twins had just left for college and I decided that I wanted to follow a dream of mine. I love history, especially local history. And Big Chief met all those criteria,” shared Wilson. She poured over the history of the property, with the ultimate goal to return The Big Chief to its 1920s roots, including repainting the walls the original gold color. Wilson found a gold mine of the past in the second-floor attic. “A lot of the history was tucked up in that attic, from bar stools, to files, to prints and things like that. I found a file of copies of the advertisements. So, we brought that all down, sent it to historic framers, to restore to that time period and honor it,” continued Wilson. The Big Chief Roadhouse reopened its doors on June 11, 2012.
In 2024, The Big Chief celebrated 95 years. Wilson honored that history with a big community party, with both the Route 66 Association of Missouri and the Wildwood Historical Society on hand to share in its story. Wilson also has an eye on possible growth in the future, once the city of Wildwood extends public services to include The Big Chief property. It’s clear The Big Chief is in excellent hands. From the beginning, The Big Chief has been a local fixture. Thanks to the care of many through the years, it continues its legacy as one of the few remaining full-service restaurants on the Mother Road. It’s sure to charm and feed many in the years to come.
Immerse yourself in an unforgettable dining experience, where exceptional service and exquisite flavors come together in timeless elegance. Reserve your table today and let us create a remarkable evening for you.
ROUTE 66 ODYSSEY
The Great American Road Trip is a journey that’s become part of our national DNA.
ROUTE Magazine’s Picks for the Top Places to Stay Along the Mother Road in 2025
Stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica, Route 66 is the quintessential path for adventurers, romantics, and freedom-seekers, offering sweeping landscapes, kitschy landmarks, and vibrant small towns. This 2,448-mile highway isn’t just a stretch of road; it’s a pilgrimage to the past and a way to connect with the timeless spirit of the open road. While the scenery, quirky roadside attractions, eclectic personalities, and sense of freedom are major draws, a comfortable and welcoming place to rest each night can make or break the trip. Whether you’re marveling at the Grand Canyon or snapping photos of Cadillac Ranch, finding a
great hotel is essential to truly savor the Route 66 experience. Staying in unique, memorable accommodations — ones that capture the charm, nostalgia, and hospitality of the Mother Road — becomes part of the adventure itself.
In this issue, ROUTE Magazine presents its top picks for hotels that will make your Route 66 journey unforgettable. From chic, renovated motels that recall the 1950s glory days to luxurious modern lodges offering comfort and convenience, each recommendation is carefully selected to reflect the character and history of the areas they call home. These spots don’t just offer a place to sleep—they provide a chance to dive into local culture, meet fellow travelers, and enjoy the scenic beauty of Route 66 up close.
Hampton Inn, Pontiac, IL Pontiac, Illinois, is a must-visit for any traveler on the Mother Road. Set along the historic highway, this charming town offers something for everyone, from the Route 66 Association Hall of Fame Museum to the Livingston County War Museum and a collection of over 20 murals downtown that depict Pontiac’s rich history. Whether you’re exploring these local treasures or just passing through on Interstate 55 in search of a comfortable place to stay, the Hampton Inn in Pontiac has you covered. Located less than a mile from most of the town’s main attractions, the Hampton Inn offers all the essential comforts of modern lodging. With a pool, a spacious open-air sun terrace, and a fitness center, there’s plenty to enjoy beyond just a good night’s sleep. The hotel’s hot breakfast is a particular highlight, with a spread that includes waffles, eggs, breakfast potatoes, and a variety of pastries to get your day off to a great start. Convenience is key at this Hampton Inn location. Just off Interstate 55, it’s surrounded by amenities like a Walmart, a sprawling Wally’s gas station and store, and locally popular dining options. Functional, comfortable, and well-priced, Pontiac’s Hampton Inn is a top-notch choice for a memorable and restful stop on your Route 66 journey.
Chase Park Plaza Hotel, St. Louis, MO
The Chase Park Plaza Hotel dates way back to 1922. Attorney Chase Ulman built the hotel only a few years before Sam Koplar erected the 28-story Park Plaza directly adjacent. After a few decades of competition, the two buildings merged and became the Chase Park Plaza, which was famed for its style and swagger. St. Louis was the largest city between Chicago and Los Angeles and served as the gateway to the West for those following old Route 66. One side of the hotel rests on Lindell Boulevard, once a Route 66 alignment, which put the Chase right on the map, literally. It became the “it” place to stay, with an impressive roster of famous guests including Elvis, Jerry Lewis, and the Rolling Stones. The hotel was also one of the first in the area to add an outdoor pool. They made history yet again when Harry Belafonte made the news as the first person to break the color line in the very same pool.
Bressmer-Baker House, Springfield, IL
In 1853, real estate dealer Hiram Walker built the original two-story structure of what is now the historic Bressmer-Baker House. Over time, the property underwent multiple renovations, evolving into the stunning architectural landmark it is today. The house derives its name from two prominent owners: John Bressmer, a successful dry goods merchant, who purchased the house in 1855 and expanded it into a three-story residence, and prominent businessman William B. Baker, who acquired it in 1889 and remodeled it into a 5,500-square-foot Queen Anne-style home, complete with a domed turret, intricate wooden trim, and clustered brick chimneys.
In November 2021, after serving as commercial law offices, the house was purchased by business partners James Lucas and Ben Bledsoe, who recognized its rich Lincoln-era history: situated in Old Aristocracy Hill, just off Route 66 and close to Abraham Lincoln’s Home, The Presidential Library, and the Illinois State Capitol, Bressmer-Baker House is one of the last two remaining masonry Queen Anne dwellings of this size and quality in Springfield. The property was transformed into a one-of-a-kind retreat featuring nine bedrooms and six bathrooms spread across three floors. Guests can rent individual self-contained levels or the entire house for a truly personalized experience. Each floor boasts thoughtfully designed interiors, showcasing original hardwood floors and unique vintage furnishings that honor the home’s storied past while seamlessly blending the antique-inspired decor with modern amenities. Staying at the Bressmer-Baker House is more than just a getaway; it’s a chance to experience a piece of Springfield’s history. Whether for a short stay or a week of exploring the Flower City, this elegant retreat provides a truly memorable setting, brimming with character, charm, and rich historical significance.
The outdoor area embodies glamor and sophistication with its stone-carved porticoes and decorative fountains. You can lounge by the outdoor fireplace and daydream about the times Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. spent their evenings here. Referred to as a “city within a city”, the Chase boasts an 18,000 square foot Santé Fitness Center, a barbershop, salon and spa, three restaurants and gift shop. Where in its past the Chase Hotel formerly held wrestling events, now sits Chase Park Plaza Cinemas, showing the latest film releases. It is quite possible that you won’t have any need or reason to leave the Chase Park Plaza. The Chase Park Plaza is a history and attraction-packed stop on any Route 66 trip that offers a luxurious travel back in time.
Boots Court Motel, Carthage, MO
Located at the crossroads of historic Routes 66 and 71, Boots Court Motel has been a distinctive landmark since 1938, when these highways brought a surge of travelers through town. Inspired by both the era’s design trends, and a motel built by his older brother, Loyd, in Eldon, Arthur Boots and his wife, Ilda, opened an eight-room motel in the Streamline Moderne style — an international take on Art Deco. The result was a striking black-andwhite building with rounded edges, geometric lines, and a car park at each room’s window for ultimate road trip convenience.
Today, after extensive renovations and a few close calls with demolition, Boots Court Motel has expanded to 13 rooms. Each room showcases hardwood floors and mid-centuryappropriate furniture, perfectly evoking the era of its founding. The motel’s green neon lighting around the building adds to the retro ambiance, making it a shining tribute to a time gone by that has endured the decades.
Owned by the Boots Court Foundation since 2021, the motel has been thoughtfully restored to its original 1940s charm once more. Guests can find authentic details like chrome light fixtures and a vintage radio in each room, playing era-specific tunes — a nod to the motel’s original marketing that touted “a radio in every room,” a major draw in its day. Today, Boots Court Motel stands as one of the most charming and historic stays along Route 66, offering a nostalgic, memorable experience for travelers who want a taste of classic Americana.
Photograph
The Campbell Hotel, Tulsa, OK
Just one year after Route 66 was established in 1926, Tulsa banker Max W. Campbell built the Casa Loma Hotel at the end of a trolley line on 11th Street. Designed in the Mission Spanish Colonial Revival style, the building’s light brick façade, terracotta accents, and tiled roof created an inviting landmark. The second-floor rooms were tailored for extended stays, featuring large closets and several lounge areas for traveling salesmen, while the ground floor offered retail space to serve locals and guests alike. When Route 66 was rerouted in 1932 to travel down 11th, the Casa Loma adapted, earning its place as the first full-service hotel along the new highway in Tulsa. After years of use, the hotel eventually fell into disrepair but was brought back to life through dedicated restoration efforts. Reopened in August 2011 under its new name, The Campbell Hotel, the property has shone ever since, blending historic charm with contemporary elegance. Inside, the hotel’s 26 rooms feature a fusion of modern furnishings and classic stone and wood detailing, creating a warm yet timeless ambiance — a vision realized by developer and current owner Aaron Meek. In addition to luxurious accommodations, guests can unwind at Spa Maxx or host events in the hotel’s Event Center, which boasts a terrazzo dance floor and two bars. The Campbell’s high ceilings are adorned with colorful chandeliers, and comfortable seating awaits guests as soon as they enter, setting the tone for a sophisticated stay. With its rich history and modern amenities, a stay at the Campbell Hotel offers guests a unique glimpse into Tulsa’s past and a taste of its vibrant present.
Mayo Hotel, Tulsa, OK
In downtown Tulsa stands The Mayo Hotel, a luxurious landmark over 100 years old that has hosted legends like John F. Kennedy and Elvis Presley. Named after its founders, brothers John D. and Cass A. Mayo, the hotel was designed by architect George Winkler and opened in 1925. With 600 rooms and soaring two-story columns, it was the tallest building in the city at the time, its stately exterior exuding authentic historic charm.
After decades of success, ownership changed and a failed renovation left the Mayo vacant for 20 years, that is until John Snyder and his family purchased the property. In 2009, they completed an extensive $40 million restoration, bringing the grand hotel back to life. Today, though it houses 102 rooms rather than the original 600, it has even more to offer: a chic rooftop bar, 76 private residences, a cozy coffee shop, and the fully restored Crystal Ballroom, dazzling with chandeliers that capture the glamour of the Jazz Age. The rooms combine elegance and modern comfort, with dark wood floors, sleek furnishings, and a palette of deep reds and golds that pay homage to the hotel’s sophisticated past at the heart of high society. A revived piece of Tulsa history, the Mayo Hotel embodies both the opulence of its storied past and the luxury of modern hospitality, offering an unforgettable stay in the heart of the city.
Photograph by Efren Lopez/Route66Images.
Fordson Hotel, Oklahoma City, OK
Just steps from the historic and artistic West Village district in downtown Oklahoma City is the Fordson Hotel, a beautifully converted Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant with over a century of history. Reintroduced as part of Hyatt’s Unbound Collection in April 2024, Fordson stands out as a modern hotel crafted from an industrial gem. Originally designed by renowned industrial architect Albert Kahn, this building housed the 21c Museum Hotel starting in 2018 before it was renamed Fordson to honor its origins with Ford during the industrial revolution.
The hotel’s transformation brings unique amenities, adding to the rich history in its walls.
Guests can enjoy two on-site restaurants, relax by an outdoor plunge pool with an adjoining bar, and take advantage of free shuttle service into nearby neighborhoods. This area brims with historic charm alongside new businesses and entertainment options, perfect for experiencing Oklahoma City’s vibrant culture and youthful but refined spirit. Inside, Fordson Hotel’s 135 guest rooms offer a blend of spacious simplicity and comfort. Enormous factory windows fill each room with natural light, creating an airy, calming ambiance that’s ideal for unwinding. Guests can relax with plush white blankets and the signature softness of hotel pillows, ready to rejuvenate them for their next adventure. Combining industrial history with modern luxury, Fordson Hotel makes for an unforgettable stay in Oklahoma City’s thriving downtown.
Holiday Inn, Elk City, OK
Sometimes, all you need is a clean bed and a hot breakfast. That’s exactly what you’ll find at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Elk City, Oklahoma. This hotel may be simple, but it has one big advantage over other lodgings in its class: it does everything right. With its crisp white bedding and pillow-soft comfort, the beds are classic and inviting, while the room stays cool and refreshing with the air conditioner set to a cozy 70 degrees.
Roadrunner Lodge Motel, Tucumcari, NM
Driving along Route 66 through Tucumcari, New Mexico, is a vibrant experience, with diners, souvenir stands, and dazzling neon lights illuminating this nearly century-old highway. Among these colorful sights is Roadrunner Lodge Motel, a retro gem that captures the spirit of the Mother Road. Opened in July 2014 by owner David Brenner, Roadrunner Lodge is a blend of two historic motels, with a butter-yellow exterior, vivid turquoise trim, and a large, lit-up sign that beckons travelers to enjoy its classic charm.
The lodge’s west side was once La Plaza Court, a venue that was established in 1947, while the east side began as Leatherwood Manor in 1964. The two motels operated separately until 1985 when they were joined, only to be abandoned years later. Brenner’s vision to restore and revitalize the property has paid off, creating what is now considered one of the best roadside lodgings in the nation.
Stepping into any of the two-story lodge’s rooms feels like stepping back in time. Retro furnishings, geometric shapes, and clean lines bring a distinctly 1960s vibe, and each room features a vintage radio tuned to Roadrunner’s own station, playing hits and commercials from the era. It’s an authentic, immersive experience that celebrates the golden age of Route 66 and the classic motel stay, offering guests a uniquely nostalgic escape along the historic highway.
La Fonda, Santa Fe, NM
La Fonda on The Plaza carries on a legacy of inns and lodgings that have occupied its storied site since 1607, when Spanish settlers first established themselves in Santa Fe.
The Holiday Inn Express covers all the essentials, with a few extras that set it apart. Guests can enjoy a hearty hot breakfast each morning, and the pool — with splash pad elements—adds a touch of fun for travelers of all ages. Conveniently located just off Interstate 40, the hotel is also close to both fast food favorites and local mom-and-pop spots, giving guests plenty of dining options. Elk City is a town steeped in history, and staying here offers a convenient chance to explore its connection to historic Route 66. Just over three miles from the hotel, the National Route 66 and Transportation Museum pays tribute to the iconic highway, while the pioneer-themed Old Town Museum, located nearby, offers a glimpse into the area’s past. Unassuming yet welcoming, the Holiday Inn Express in Elk City is an ideal stop for a comfortable, no-fuss stay along Route 66 and our choice for where to stay when visiting Elk City.
For centuries, an adobe inn stood here, bearing witness to the city’s unfolding history until a fire in 1912 destroyed one of Santa Fe’s most cherished landmarks. The building that guests visit today — a beautiful Spanish Colonial Revival structure — was constructed in 1922, and has since seen renamings, closures, and ownership changes. By 2014, however, the once-grand hotel had fallen into disrepair. That’s when attorney Jennifer Kimball and her brother, in partnership with the investment group Cienda Partners, took on the mission of restoring La Fonda to its former glory.
Today, La Fonda retains many original 1920s elements, including skylights, terracotta tiles, and exposed wooden beams, all enhancing the open feel of the historic Santa Fe Plaza while preserving the inn’s timeless charm. The hotel offers 180 rooms, including 15 private luxury suites, each decorated in a southwestern style, with patterned blankets, leather furnishings, and large windows with views of the Sangre de Cristo mountains.
Beyond the guest rooms, La Fonda offers a luxurious experience with three exceptional restaurants, a relaxing spa, and an inviting gift shop. Guests can even take part in the hotel’s renowned art and history tours, which highlight the architecture and stories that make La Fonda one of the nation’s most esteemed hotels. Steeped in history yet fully revitalized, La Fonda on The Plaza provides an immersive Santa Fe experience that connects visitors with the rich cultural heritage of the Southwest.
Photograph by KC Keefer.
Photograph by David J. Schwartz –Pics On Route 66.
Photograph by Robert Reck.
Hotel Chaco, Albuquerque, NM
In Albuquerque’s Historic Old Town, surrounded by century-old adobe homes and echoes of the past, stands Hotel Chaco — a AAA-certified, 4-diamond boutique hotel that opened in April 2017, and is steeped in local tradition and history. Named after New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon, where Pueblo peoples established settlements centuries ago, Hotel Chaco reflects this heritage in every detail. Its sand-colored exterior harmonizes with the Albuquerque desert, while the interior features inspired art that tells the stories of those who once thrived in this region, creating a uniquely immersive atmosphere.
The circular Grand Lobby welcomes guests with “The Guardian,” a striking statue presiding over a Pueblo-inspired space. Above, the ceiling is adorned with wooden beam vigas, while stone seating draws inspiration from the structures that still endure in the New Mexico desert. The hotel’s rooftop restaurant, Level 5, offers some of the city’s finest contemporary dining with sweeping views of the picturesque surrounding landscape.
Each of the 118 tranquil guest rooms features soothing natural tones and modern southwestern decor, with indigenousinspired wall prints and blankets that contrast elegantly with the crisp white bedding. Guests can also visit the on-site art gallery, Gallery Hózhó, which showcases Native American artists and their work, furthering the hotel’s mission to celebrate and share the stories of the region’s Indigenous heritage.
At Hotel Chaco, guests can experience a blend of luxury, history, and cultural reverence that feels like staying in a living museum—a one-of-a-kind tribute to New Mexico’s past and present.
Hotel Albuquerque, Albuquerque, NM
Nestled in Albuquerque’s historic Old Town and vibrant Sawmill district, Hotel Albuquerque offers a cozy yet luxurious retreat. Originally opened in 1970 and beautifully renovated in 2022, this resort effortlessly combines southwestern charm with modern comforts. Inside, deep brown tiles cover the floors, while wooden beams accentuate high ceilings, with large windows and arched doorways creating a bright, open ambiance.
One of the property’s highlights is Garduños, a restaurant set on a lush, tree-lined brick courtyard, serving traditional New Mexican and Mexican cuisine in a welcoming, haciendainspired setting. After dinner, guests can head to QBar Lounge, an intimate spot with craft cocktails and live entertainment on weekends, perfect for unwinding in style. Additional amenities include an outdoor pool (shared with Hotel Chaco) and a wedding chapel, making Hotel Albuquerque the perfect destination for a special getaway—whether it’s a first trip together or a milestone celebration.
The hotel’s warm, atmospheric decor combines golden-hued walls with rich red furnishings and natural wooden floors, grounding the space in authentic New Mexican style. Large windows and private balconies offer breathtaking views of the Sandia Mountains and Albuquerque’s skyline, all bathed in the warm glow of the New Mexico sun. With its inviting ambiance and timeless elegance, Hotel Albuquerque offers an unforgettable experience, perfect for creating cherished memories that will last a lifetime.
Some folks say it’s all about the journey. We think the stops along the way can be pretty great, too.
The call of the open road, it’s almost magical, and very American. Yet this is no ordinary road trip. This is the Mother Road—the highway that’s the best. A page torn from American history when cars were bigger and life was simpler. We know when you get off the road, you want to feel like you’re home. We’ll have a warm chocolate chip DoubleTree Cookie waiting for you.
The Doubletree by Hilton has all the amenities you’ve come to expect from modern life, including wi-fi, fitness room, pool, and hot tub. If you want to stay in for the evening, we have an on-property bar and restaurant. (And local shuttle service if you decide you don’t.) Since your four-legged friends may be with you for your journey, we’re a pet-friendly hotel, too.
Get a great night’s rest on our Sweet Dreams bedding and fuel up on our breakfast before cruising out.
BLOOMINGTON
Hotel El Rancho, Gallup, NM
The story of El Rancho Hotel is one of frontier dreams, Hollywood allure, and the enduring charm of the Mother Road. Constructed in 1936 by visionary movie theater tycoon R.E. “Griff” Griffith, the El Rancho blended the rugged spirit of the Old West with the comfort expected by travelers. It quickly became a haven for Hollywood celebrities drawn to Gallup during the golden age of Western films. The likes of John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Rita Hayworth, and Katherine Hepburn graced its halls. However, as the popularity of westerns, and then of Route 66 waned, the hotel gradually lost its appeal, falling into neglect and facing the threat of demolition.
Fortunately, in 1986, the owner of an Indian trading post, Armand Ortega, purchased and restored the hotel, earning it a place on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the venue is owned by Ortega’s grandson, Shane Ortega, who has undertaken major renovations to bring an elevated charm of yesteryear, with the convenience of today. Each of the ninety-four remodeled rooms, all configured differently and named after celebrities, bears flat-screen TVs, leather chairs, wooden headboards, and Southwest decor and linens. The traditional black-and-white tiled bathrooms now feature walk-in showers.
A step into the lobby, with its dark wood furniture, a grand fireplace, mounted deer heads, and twin lobby staircases, transports you to the era when the frontier spirit met the glitz of Hollywood. The hotel stands not just as a place to rest but as a true icon of the American Southwest and a living testament to the enduring allure of the open road. And did we mention that this venue has one of the most iconic neon signs in the state? The glittering signage alone is a reason to spend the night at the amazing El Rancho.
Little America, Flagstaff, NM
Since opening in 1973, Little America has been delighting guests with its undeniable cozy elegance on its 500 acres of lush Ponderosa Pine forest.
Nestled amid some of America’s most stunning natural landscapes, this beloved hotel offers floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space with natural light and reveal breathtaking views of Northern Arizona’s stunning scenery. Following a complete renovation from 2016 to 2018, Little America has emerged even better, featuring the Silver Pine Restaurant, which specializes in classic American comfort dishes, perfect for travelers and families alike.
The hotel exudes a welcoming, cabinlike charm with its peaked roofs, softly lit natural surroundings, and abundant wooden accents. Inside, live-edge tables and headboards add a touch of rustic vitality to each of the 247 beautifully appointed rooms, where deep browns combine with muted blues, yellows, and reds to create a space both grounded in nature and invitingly modern. This is a lovely venue. In addition to its beautiful grounds, Little America is ideally situated near Northern Arizona’s most iconic parks and natural wonders, making it a perfect base for nature lovers and families eager to explore the diverse landscapes of the Southwest. Blending spectacular scenery with warm hospitality, Little America offers an experience that captures the best of Arizona’s natural beauty and the comforts of home. There is no better Flagstaff hotel to rest your head.
Photograph by Efren Lopez/Route66Images.
Best Western Kings Inn and Suites, Kingman, AZ
Arizona is a state with more than its fair share of Mother Road towns, each one packed with interesting things to see and experience, but Kingman comes close to the top. It is a vibrant Route 66 town filled with neon lights and rich history, and at the western edge of Arizona, it’s in a wonderful location. With the sandy desert stretching out beneath the Cerbat Mountains, this destination provides an ideal southwestern road trip experience. Best Western King’s Inn, located just two miles from downtown Kingman, captures this classic Americana vibe perfectly.
The two-story King’s Inn has a retro feel, with swaying palm trees, a brilliant turquoise swimming pool, and light green rooftops that hint at mid-century magic. Inside, the decor mixes Route 66 memorabilia with colorful, geometric furnishings, blending retro nostalgia with modern style. The guest rooms are clean and inviting, with cheerful pops of orange, yellow, and green on carpets, pillows, and chairs that add personality to the cozy space. This may be a corporate brand, but it feels like a classic Route 66 motel. Each morning, guests are welcomed to a hot breakfast in the relaxed, cafe-style dining area next to the lobby. Natural tile and wooden accents create a pleasant atmosphere, perfect for fueling up before a day of exploration — and there is a lot to see.
Rio Del Sol, Needles, CA
As America’s Main Street winds through California near the Colorado River, travelers approach the final stretch of the iconic highway. For those who want to slow down and savor the last few hours of their great American road trip, Rio Del Sol in Needles, California, offers a convenient and comfortable stop just minutes away from the Arizona-California border and right off of Route 66.
Rio Del Sol blends seamlessly with its desert surroundings, featuring a sandy stone exterior, natural tile roofing, and a sparkling kidney-shaped pool at its center. This traveler friendly hotel is all about relaxed simplicity, providing everything a weary motorist needs to recharge without the extra frills. Kids under 17 stay free in any of the 60 updated, modern rooms, which are spacious and comfortable with tiled floors, light walls, and large front windows that create a bright, open feel.
Though breakfast isn’t provided, guests can take a short three-minute walk to the nearby Wagon Wheel restaurant, where they’ll receive 10% off meals — a convenient option for fueling up before the final stretch. With its straightforward accommodations, affordable rates, and inviting pool — perfect after a hot desert drive — Rio Del Sol is the best place for Route 66 adventurers to rest up in Needles before tackling the last leg of their journey.
EXPLORE THE WEST WITH
Built with a love for the land and an appreciation for the open road, Little America Hotel is Flagstaff, Arizona's only Four Diamond property. From our spacious and comfortable luxury guest rooms to our convenient location just minutes from historic Route 66 and downtown Flagstaff, we've been connecting travelers to the wonders of the West for more than 50 years.
TIRES AND TIME
By Cheryl Eichar Jett
Photographs by David J. Schwartz - Pics On Route 66
Purposefully established on a stretch of land along the Mississippi River at the southwest edge of Illinois in 1896, the industrial town of Granite City depended upon raw materials coming in and finished product exiting via the railroad and the river. For travelers, the Illinois Terminal Railroad offered passenger service up to Springfield and across the river to St. Louis. And there was always the horse and buggy. But the city was still young only a decade later, when the new-fangled device called a motor car looked to be more than just a fad. And like other modes of transportation, it needed fuel to propel it. In the Granite City area, as across the country, carriage shops and hardware stores scrambled to respond, offering gasoline, oil, tires, and other parts and supplies, even as automobile dealerships and repair garages began to pop up around Madison County.
On a piece of property along Nameoki Road — soon destined to carry traffic as a young U.S. Highway 66 — a small repair garage became operational in the early 1900s. Although that structure no longer stands, a repair business grew and evolved there which has remained open consistently in this spot — a business that still carries the surname bestowed upon it in 1932.
William Kirchner and His Garage
The village of Nameoki, now part of Granite City, grew from a simple station stop named by a railroad conductor. It was an Indian name for “fishing place” due to the numerous lakes in the area. By the late 1800s, a hotel, blacksmith shop, and a drugstore and physician’s office served the village’s occupants, as well as travelers passing through.
In 1906, a 23-year-old German immigrant named William Kirchner established a hardware business in Nameoki Township, adding a filling station and repair garage soon after — on the same block of Nameoki Road, between Pontoon Road and Amos Avenue. By all accounts it was successful, but by the late 1920s, change was afoot when brothers George and Joseph Klug took over operation of Kirchner’s station and garage, changing the name to Klug Bros. Auto Repairing, Tires, and Auto Accessories. But the Klugs soon moved on, possibly to another business up the street, and the garage was once again listed in the local city directory with William Kirchner’s name until an aspiring entrepreneur named Jim O’Brien came along. Early in 1932, O’Brien, a former Granite City mill worker originally from a tiny village near Jefferson City, Missouri, entered the scene, ready and willing to take over the operation of Kirchner Garage — an already well-established gas station and auto service business. To launch the business under his name on March 17, 1932, he purchased — partially on credit — Kirchner’s stock of gas, oil, and grease. O’Brien even talked one of the Klug brothers into
coming back to the garage long enough to serve as O’Brien’s first mechanic.
O’Brien was likely well aware of his good fortune when walking into a ready-to-operate business. We don’t know if he paid rent or a share of the profits to Kirchner, or if Kirchner just saw the value in someone else running the business while he took care of his hardware operation, which grew to include at least one other location. But with good fortune sometimes also comes bad luck. It was the early years of the Great Depression and a tough time to be in business. The situation was so bad in Granite City in the early ‘30s that the City itself had a balance of zero in their bank account. Yet somehow, through grit and determination and his fair treatment of customers, O’Brien hung on to his business.
Fifty years later, in 1982, O’Brien described his entry into the auto service business in a Christmas letter he wrote to customers, summarizing the history of the business: “A 29-year-young James E. O’Brien full of guts, energy, ambition, and the old Wm. Kirchner garage marked the birth of O’Brien Tire and Battery on March 17, 1932. Cliff Edrington of Illinois Power & Light got the business off to a good start by being the first gas customer, but the first big bucks were brought in by Roy Brown of Granite City Ice Company when he purchased the very first set of tires sold by O’Brien Tire. The venture was off and rolling. Many dinners got cold waiting, while Jim and his first mechanic Joe Klug hit the concrete at the station servicing cars and taking care of customers. As the business grew and prospered, much commercial customer entertaining, business dealings, and employee dinners took place at the Luna Cafe in Mitchell [three miles away].”
Jim O’Brien is remembered for establishing two themes in his business and his life: excellent customer service and family. Those two priorities became a legacy that the current owners are proud to say still guides the business today.
O’Brien and his wife, Angeline “Angie,” did not have children of their own, but raised two foster sons, Alvin Bruce Marler and Fred “Fritz” Rehagen. In 1940, Marler began as the car wash boy in the O’Brien garage, working after school and on Saturdays. When Jim O’Brien was ready to retire in 1952, Marler stepped up to take over the operation. It was January 1, 1953, during the time of the economic boom of the Mid-Century, and O’Brien had done well in business. He was ready to retire to Mountain Home, Arkansas, where he had bought a farm.
And so, O’Brien handed the business operation over to son Marler — perhaps sold it, or just gave it to him. Over the years, it had become an unofficial tradition for an employee to step up and take over when the previous operator was ready to retire. The business was usually passed on with no more than a simple contract for deed with a dollar down followed by a percentage of the gasoline sales until the debt was considered paid. (This explains why any actual records of property sales didn’t match the dates in city directories indicating when the business changed hands, making research challenging decades later for family and journalists attempting to chronicle the history of the business!)
But back to Bruce Marler — he enjoyed garage life and took advantage of the good economy by expanding the business. In the 1960s, he razed the old single-bay garage and had a new building constructed with three bays and a sales and display area.
The Buenger Era
There is nothing so constant in life as change, and while Bruce Marler continued to build up O’Brien’s Tire and Auto Service business, there was yet another change coming. Marler’s improvements had included hiring an ambitious young man named Earl Buenger (pronounced “Binger”) who fit in just fine at the garage and who was determined to make a living and a career of it. Marler actually hired Buenger away from his job at an upholstery shop around the corner on Pontoon Road, where Buenger lived upstairs. By the time that Marler was ready to retire in 1970, Buenger had married, and he and his wife Marcia were ready to take over O’Brien’s. After retirement, Marler and his wife Inge followed Jim O’Brien, his foster father, to Mountain Home, Arkansas, where he raised cattle and dabbled in land development.
Earl and Marcia Buenger continued to expand the business and put their own stamp upon it but kept the O’Brien name. They added brand names to their tire inventory, and in 1976, constructed a large four-bay separate building in which to offer a full line-up of auto care services. To accommodate the new building, they needed more property and purchased an adjacent lot formerly occupied by Bolliger’s Upholstery — Earl Buenger’s former place of employment. The building fronting the property, which Marler had constructed, was devoted to their tire sales and service.
Mark and Scott, Earl and Marcia’s two sons, soon joined their father working in the business. “Mark and Scott worked there as kids. Scott remembers stocking shelves with oil
and filters. Mark graduated from Granite City High School in 1976, and Scott went to Eastern Illinois University and graduated in 1984,” Scott’s wife, Beth, explained. “All four of them were involved in the business up until March 1992, when one day Scott said, ‘Okay, he’s [Earl] done.’ They got the papers together for Mark and Scott to sign to purchase the business, and Earl and Marcia were ready to walk away.” Mark and Scott were ready for a smooth transition to take over the operation, which at that time still included a gas station. But that would change. “Back in the ‘90s, the EPA was looking for leaking tanks and testing the ground,” Beth said. “Our tanks were old, and they dug them up. That’s when we stopped being a gas station, after being a gas station [ever] since William Kirchner’s business.”
An Overpass and More Changes
Through the decades, as Nameoki Road carried U.S. Highway 66 and later Illinois Route 203, an important arterial connecting Granite City and Madison with I-255 to the north and I-55/70 to the south, the traffic upon it increased exponentially. By the 2000s, the impact of heavy traffic on Nameoki was significant, particularly at the big bend in the road which also coincided with the intersection of Pontoon Road, another area connector. O’Brien’s stood on the southeast corner of this intersection. The construction of the Pontoon Road overpass over Nameoki Road in 2008-2010 eased the heavy traffic situation, but it caused brand new problems. Numerous
Beth and Scott Buenger.
businesses and residences were condemned and razed to accommodate the overpass and its ramps. The grade of the new overpass for Pontoon Road along the north side of the O’Brien business hemmed it in, eliminating access and parking. Brothers Mark and Scott solved the problem by acquiring a property with an unused building on the south side of their business, razing the old structure upon it, and paving a large parking lot.
A decade ago, the Buenger family expanded their presence in the business when Scott and Beth’s son, Ian, joined the company, and Scott’s wife Beth also became active, concentrating on marketing the business. A fun vacation on Route 66 provided the impetus for some re-branding, and Beth remembered the moment it hit her.
“Scott and I were in Williams, Arizona, in 2015 on our way to the Grand Canyon, and we heard about it being Route 66. You know, you didn’t grow up without knowing what Route 66 was, with the show on TV and the song, so everybody knew about Route 66,” said Beth. “I picked up one of the Route 66 books and there was a section about Illinois. I read a sentence that said Nameoki Road was Route 66, and I was just flabbergasted. Earl didn’t know about it. Scott and his brother didn’t know about it. No one in Granite City even talked about it [at the time]. But that’s where it all started for us.”
Scott and Beth’s love for RVing, not to mention their sudden interest in Route 66, gave them the idea to host RVers traveling in the southwest Illinois/greater St. Louis region. They are now members of the Harvest Hosts program, an innovative idea which allows RV travelers with subscriptions to the service to park overnight at businesses and attractions across the U.S.
Into the Future on Route 66
The neon sign at the front of their property was Beth’s idea, as is promoting the business’s new-found legacy on the
Mother Road. The stylish customer waiting room has benefited from Beth’s decorating touch, too. A comfortable sitting area is outfitted with MidCentury Modern furniture complimented by Route 66 décor on the walls and Route 66 publications awaiting perusal. “As my interest in and knowledge about the Mother Road grew, I was surprised that it had escaped so many people that Route 66 was a part of Granite City. I kept hoping for more recognition for the City’s location on original Route 66.” There is a strong likelihood that O’Brien Tire & Auto Care is the oldest continuously operated auto garage on the Mother Road.
Today, O’Brien Tire & Auto Care offers full-service car care and a couple dozen brands of tires, touting “triple crown” service as an AAA-approved auto repair facility, a NAPA AutoCare Center, and a TechNet AutoCare Center. They pride themselves on outstanding customer service, and their family tradition of giving back to the community through service and donations, plus their longevity adds a personal hometown touch.
Meanwhile, Beth is quick to acknowledge the new surge in interest locally due to murals, the new It’s Electric Neon Park and entertainment venue The Mill, which both opened in the summer of 2024, plus plenty of promotion accomplished through the efforts of Mayor Mike Parkinson, Arts and Tourism Director Brenda Whittaker, and Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau CEO Cory Jobe. Although all those new attractions are in downtown Granite City, Beth knows that she is playing a part now in keeping Route 66 alive on their stretch of America’s most beloved highway. “Over the years, I started putting up Route 66 signs and talking to more and more customers about it. I’ve learned more about it and about the decommissioning of it and how the highway changed.”
Nestled in the curve of Nameoki Road on an early alignment of U.S. Highway 66 stands O’Brien Tire & Auto Care. From its humble beginnings to its establishment as O’Brien Tire in 1932 to its stance now as a modern, family-owned auto service center, this is a destination that has survived through the Great Depression and flourished through the post-war boom. The legacy of a century or more of constant service in one spot along the world’s most famous road isn’t far from their thoughts even as they celebrate their own family’s tenure here for over 50 years. The tenacity of this business may be due to the forethought of its early owners and to the business sense of its most recent owners.
As we reflect back on road travel over the decades, O’Brien’s is an example of the mom-and-pop type of businesses that rose up to meet the challenges and needs of the hordes of excited motorists.
Outside of O’Brien’s is retro cool.
A CONVERSATION WITH
Helen Hunt
By Brennen Matthews
Photographs courtesy of John Russo
There’s something undeniably magnetic about Helen Hunt. She’s the kind of actress who doesn’t just portray characters — she inhabits them, making their struggles and triumphs feel achingly real. From her Emmywinning turn as the quick-witted Jamie Buchman in the beloved sitcom Mad About You (1992–1999) to her Academy Award-winning performance as the tender but resilient Carol Connelly in As Good As It Gets , Hunt has graced screens big and small with an authenticity that has become her signature. In a career spanning over four decades, she has moved seamlessly between television, film, and theater, earning critical acclaim and a devoted fan base at every turn.
Hunt’s journey to the much beloved film Cast Away began with a script that was as much a character study as it was a survival story. In the film, she plays Kelly Frears, the emotional anchor for Tom Hanks’ Chuck Noland. Their relationship drives the heart of the story, even as Noland is physically separated from Kelly during his harrowing time stranded on a deserted island. Hunt reflected on how their on-screen chemistry and the depth of their characters’ bond made the project unforgettable.
“Working with Tom was a masterclass in dedication and subtlety. He’s someone who dives headfirst into every role and Cast Away was no exception. I remember watching him transform — physically and emotionally — and it was awe-inspiring. For me, it was about finding those moments of connection in the midst of all the distance and isolation the film portrays.”
Switching gears to 2000’s hit film, What Women Want , Hunt’s portrayal of Darcy McGuire, a confident and driven advertising executive, offered a completely different challenge. Starring opposite Mel Gibson in this romantic comedy, Hunt brought a refreshing strength and wit to a genre often dominated by formulaic characters.
“Mel was such a whirlwind of energy. He could switch from comedic timing to heartfelt sincerity in an instant,” Hunt noted. “Darcy was a character that I fell in love with because she wasn’t just a foil to Mel’s Nick Marshall. She had her own journey, her own depth, and a voice that resonated with so many women. It was a joy to play off of Mel’s comedic instincts, but what I loved most was how the film delved into vulnerability. There’s this wonderful push and pull between our characters as they learn to respect and understand each other.”
But Helen Hunt is more than just the sum of her accolades. Behind the camera, she has emerged as a gifted director, bringing the same level of nuance and humanity to her projects that she does to her performances. Her work on films like Then She Found Me and television series such as The Politician has cemented her place as a storyteller unafraid to tackle life’s complexities. At a time when Hollywood is evolving in response to social and cultural shifts, Hunt has remained steadfast in her commitment to crafting narratives that resonate deeply with audiences. In 2004, Hunt took on the most important role of her life: mother to a beautiful baby girl, Makena Lei. Becoming a mother marked a profound shift in Hunt’s life, offering her a new perspective on love, patience, and purpose. Balancing motherhood with a thriving Hollywood career wasn’t always easy, but Hunt has spoken about how her daughter became
her greatest inspiration. As she navigated the challenges and joys of raising Makena, Hunt’s journey revealed the heartfelt, nurturing side of the award-winning actress fans have come to admire.
As I sat down to talk with her for this issue, it became clear that her longevity in an industry notorious for its short attention span is no accident. There’s a quiet determination about her, an unassuming grace that underscores her talent. Hunt’s refusal to be boxed in or defined solely by others has set her apart, and her passion for championing others is rooted in her own experiences—the mentors who shaped her early days, the collaborators who pushed her to take creative risks. In this conversation, Helen Hunt takes us on a journey through her storied career, offering insights into her creative process, her hopes for the future of storytelling, and her thoughts on what it means to live a life of purpose. Whether you’ve followed her work for decades or are discovering her talent anew, one thing is certain: Helen Hunt’s story is far from finished, and her next act promises to be as compelling as the ones that came before it.
In some ways, you were born into a showbiz family, wouldn’t you say?
I would say I was born into an artist family. My father was a director, and a teacher, and a writer, and my mother paints now and did photography. Our circle of friends were musical theater composers and children’s book illustrators. So, I think that I was born into a group of people who believed that art mattered.
Do you think that had much of an influence on your life direction, because you started acting at a really young age?
Yes, I mean, who knows? If I’d grown up around scientists, I might very well have followed another path, but I went to the theater a lot, and I went to museums, and I heard music, and I saw dance. I went to rehearsal with my dad, and I remember, not wanting to be an actress necessarily, but wanting to be in a room where people were telling a story together. I loved that. But it never occurred to me, ‘I want to be up there.’ I just wanted to be in that room. And then just because of the way things worked out logistically — I was taking dance classes, and I took an acting class on Saturdays. I really never had any aim like, ‘I want to get on the screen. I want to be an actor.’ It was just a fun thing to do on a Saturday. And then, just a funny twist of fate, someone came to the class who was casting a movie for TV, and I auditioned, and I got the part, and suddenly, I was a working actor.
Was your dad ever concerned, given how challenging the industry can be?
They never expressed concern to me. I mean, I’m lucky, because I know so many people have to overcome their parents’ either lack of respect for or worry about a life in the arts. I didn’t have that, so that was very lucky.
You’ve described yourself as being a rather shy child. Do you feel that being up on stage helped pull you out of your comfort zone?
It’s funny. I spoke recently at an event, and people said, ‘Well, easy for you, you’re an actor.’ I’m a very nervous public speaker, so I’m not sure that acting cures you of being shy. I think, in some ways that are hard to describe, they’re different parts of you. But most of what it gave me was joy. It gave me joy and fellowship with other people. And you know, it’s important for kids to play make-believe. I got to play it a lot. And with people who it really mattered to.
By 1996, Twister came calling. What was the audition process like for you? Was it a highly competitive casting? How did you ultimately land the part?
What was so bizarre is I didn’t even audition. Mad About You was one year old, and it had started to make some noise. And I had been recognized in the show. Something was beginning to bubble about that TV show, and I just literally got a call that Jan de Bont and Steven Spielberg would like to have lunch with me. I went, ‘Okay.’ They presented this wish for me to join them in making this giant movie and wanted to put me at the center of it. I was kind of impressed that they wanted me. I have plenty of self-esteem about my acting, but I wasn’t the kind of actor who would necessarily be thrown into a big action movie.
And then, as the rest of the cast came together, there was Bill Paxton and Phil Hoffman, who was just beginning his career as a lifer in New York theater, and Joey Slotnik, who’s a brilliant Chicago actor, improviser. These are serious people who became or were becoming, serious theater actors, serious filmmakers.
So Jan de Bont, who’s famously brilliant with the camera, also knew enough to know that if you’re making a giant splashy movie that asks the audience to take a leap of imagination, get good actors and put them at the middle of it. So, I was impressed that that’s what he wanted, you know?
I told them that the script that I saw might need a little work for me to really bring [my character] to life. They agreed. They found a couple of writers, one who brought a ton of humor, and one who helped make it clear what her theme was and why she was like a maniac chasing after these tornadoes. It was honestly handed to me on this giant platter.
Were you nervous being in the lead role of a big budget Steven Spielberg film?
I was nervous that I could pull it off physically, because I was exhausted from having worked a lot. So, my time off, in between seasons [of Mad About You] , was running from sometimes fake, and often real, debris, and rain, and wind. It was a very physical job. But no… I knew that the movie rested in Jan de Bont’s hands, not in mine. I had a pretty good sense that I wouldn’t blow it. I poured my heart into it. I made her as real and deeply feelable as possible. So, I wasn’t nervous about wrecking this giant movie. I get invited to screenings where people show up dressed as me, or dressed as a tornado, or dressed as a cow. (Laughs)
It’s fascinating to see what resonates with people. What do you think made Twister connect so deeply with audiences?
Well, I think that the director got everything right. He had a story and a central character who wanted something as crazy as it was, what she wanted. You need that in the central
character in order to hang on to an audience. He hired great actors. He had a terrific script, terrific ideas. He is masterful with a camera to the point of grabbing it out of the hands of the camera operator sometimes and doing it himself. He did everything right. He also chose to make a big action movie with no weapons in it. There’s not a gun in the movie, there’s not even a knife in the movie. There was a scene where Bill Paxton was supposed to take a knife off of his belt and cut the straps on something that was tied to the truck. I watched Jan say, “No, I don’t want to see that in this movie.” He knew, in a way, that he was making a certain movie, with a certain kind of innocence in it.
How did the success of the movie impact your personal and professional life?
Well, work begets work. There are those times in your life where you’re not working a lot, so you’re not getting a lot of work, because you’re not working a lot. And then there’s those times in your life, and this was an extreme version of it, sort of a decade of mine around that time, when work was begetting work, was begetting work, and I’m sure it helped me to be able to play all the terrific parts that I got to play afterwards.
There was a stretch there where I was super famous, and that was great for getting theater tickets and getting a good table at a restaurant, and really bad for going to the grocery store in my pajamas. But I was lucky, I was able to navigate it. I was a relatively boring celebrity.
A year later, in 1997, you landed As Good as It Gets with the iconic Jack Nicholson. What was it like working opposite Nicholson? He seems like a very intense actor. Had you met him before this film?
I had never met him. I was, of course, a mega fan of his. I was young for the part. I knew that, so I had wonderful wardrobe people and production design people to help me. It’s little things, you know, the bra, the length of the skirt, the way the hair goes, like little things that can help add age, and a certain emotional weight to a character. The director, once he decided that he wanted me, had us sit down and chat. We got along well… I think I was expecting, like you say, a very intense actor. He’s got a certain… and this is the highest compliment I could pay any actor, a sort of wild feral quality. So, I thought it was going to be wild and feral and unpredictable. But he was just like me, you know, grew up in acting class. Wanted to know the same things about the scenes that I wanted to know. Wanted to understand how long it’s been since the two characters saw each other, and what they really wanted in this scene… It felt more like I was in acting class next to my favorite fellow actor, rather than [working] with some unpredictable, exotic creature.
When you’re working with someone who you’ve watched on film or TV for a long time, does it take very long to forget that you’re working with them, and to fall into your characters?
That’s where the craft of acting comes in. You know, everybody who plays a scene has to decide what their character wants. I want his money, to save my kid, I want him to wrap his arms around me… You want something,
and you have to want it more intensely than you think about the person being [familiar], or think about the camera being there, or think about the cell phone that’s ringing in the theater of the play you’re doing. You have to find what your character wants and hang on to it so tightly that it overshadows everything else.
Well, you obviously did a great job. That film won you an Oscar.
It did.
Was this your first time at the Academy Awards, or had you been before? What was the experience like for you?
I hadn’t been before, no. I was seated in the front row, and it was not relaxing. I’ll tell you that much. I was nervous. I was nominated one other time since then, and if I had to do it over, I would not worry about everybody as much as I did. I worried about who I was thanking and who I was with. It was sort of like kerosene on any codependence that I’ve ever had. So, if I get another chance, I’m just gonna go and drink a shot of tequila and have fun.
Was it intimidating being amongst so many of your iconic peers?
I mean, I guess. It used to just be the Oscars. And then it was the Golden Globes. And then there was the SAG Awards, and then it was the Writers Guild Awards, and then it was the Internet, you know. So, by the time you get to the Oscars, you’re sort of this rich and famous, underfed refugee, crawling to the finish line. I think by that point, everybody’s adrenaline and low self-esteem, high self-esteem… you’re just a bit like an animal in a petri dish, hoping to make it to the finish line.
In 2000, you were in three of the biggest films of the year: Cast Away with Tom Hanks, Pay It Forward with Kevin Spacey, and What Women Want with Mel Gibson. You were everywhere. That must have been a bit overwhelming.
I mean, it was everything. It was fantastic, it was too much. It was amazing. You know, it’s kind of how life works sometimes.
I don’t know a lot about astrology, but I bet if you looked at my astrological chart for that moment, it was like springs popping off the paper. There was something going on. I did my best to remember that it wasn’t gonna last forever and to enjoy it. I know the whole time I was on Mad About you with Paul Resier, I knew how lucky it was. We were making a show about something we loved, and having fun and getting to play giant 10-page scenes with each other. Movies and TV are so often four lines, you know, and it’s very hard. It’s much harder to do four lines than it is to do five pages, because you’ve got to come in already in the middle of a thought, and it’s harder to remember a few lines than it is to remember a lot of lines. We had four days to rehearse. I was very involved in the sculpting and writing of the show. Somehow, I was smart enough to realize ‘enjoy this right now, because it’s not going to last forever.’ And I was right. It was amazing and wonderful, and it doesn’t last forever, and I’m glad I was really present to enjoy it all.
The reunion scene in Cast Away is often cited as one of the most emotional moments in cinema. What do you remember about preparing for such a heavy scene? He’s on an island alone for most of the movie, and yet you had to find that emotion of seeing this man that you loved, and thought was dead, but he’s not dead, and you’ve moved on with your life, and now you’re seeing him again.
Well, first of all, when I went in to meet with Robert Zemeckis it was for a whole other movie that he was making. But he said, ‘We have to shoot it right at this time.’ And I said, ‘Oh, why?’ And he said, ‘Well, because I’m doing this other movie, and we have to take a five-month break because the actor has to lose a bunch of weight’. And I asked, ‘What movie is that?’ And he described Cast Away to me, and I said, ‘Is there a part in that movie?’
And he said, ‘It’s a small part. You wouldn’t want it.’ And I was like, ‘That movie sounds interesting to me.’ I’d never heard of anything like it. A big giant movie with a big giant movie star that was about what kind of gift there might be in losing everything and living in isolation. So, I met with Tom and one of the writers, William Broyles, who I actually already knew a little bit… a really interesting writer who had written about his experience in Vietnam. So that’s how it all sort of happened.
We met a few times and talked through [the script] because it was very sparse — the writing — no one does too much talking, and we wanted it to be [that way]. And then, when we got to shoot that huge scene at the end… we rehearsed it, and it occurred to me, ‘The whole scene has to be at any moment they might jump in each other’s arms. Doesn’t really matter what they’re saying.’ I shared that with Tom, and he agreed. And lots of people are annoyed by the end of that movie like, ‘Why doesn’t she run off with him?’ In the beginning, the movie was a combination of a big blockbuster and a tiny, indie movie, you know? And some people loved that, and some people loved it less, but I thought it was cool as hell that they made it.
I reckon, for me, that’d be very hard to find that level of emotion when you actually shoot the scene. So, if you do, if you tap into it when you’re rehearsing, and then you have to go back and find it again, and actually shoot it … Is that a really difficult place to take yourself to?
Well, that’s what acting class is for. You learn to make choices that matter to you and feed you. It’s not like, ‘Oh, I think about the time my dog died,’ because you could cry about that on a Monday and not cry about it on a Tuesday. You have choices that are interesting to you. That matter to you. They might not be from your life, they might be from your imagination, it might come from the other actor. It might come from something physical. So, acting is funny. Some of us spend our whole life studying it and working it from different kinds of teachers and different kinds of physical work and different kinds of voice work, and working with text and working with verse, but there’s nothing to show for it. You know, you don’t have a painting at the end of it, or a beautiful gown or a symphony. You just have this invisible thing that you’ve spent your whole life learning, and then when someone hands you a play, or an eight-page scene with Tom Hanks, all that invisible work, hopefully, shows up.
Well, it certainly did.
It’s a good movie. When I come across that movie — I don’t watch anything I’m in. I find it really… not fun — but I think that it is just a wonderful movie, a unique, wonderful movie.
In 2011, you starred in Soul Surfer, about Bethany Hamilton, and you played her mother, Cheri Hamilton. It’s such a powerful film. Did you already know Bethany’s story before you saw the script?
I was surfing a little bit already. So, I knew a little about her story. But if you surf at all, you don’t tend to do a deep dive into the shark stories. I didn’t know anything really about her, and I didn’t know that her mom was a big wave surfer when she was younger. It was a pretty terrific job. [I] went off to the north shore of Hawaii and got to surf in a movie and play a wonderful woman who loved her daughter, which was not hard to play.
Is there a lot of pressure playing a real person?
There is, and what I found, and what I try to share with people that I’ve played is, it’s going to be different than your life, and in the end, you should have this feeling of, ‘Oh, they captured the essence of the story.’ You always have to make changes. You can’t be exactly like them. The story can’t be told in a movie exactly the way that it happened. But if it works well, the person who you’re playing and the people whose story it is should leave there going, ‘They got the essence of it. They got what mattered.’
After you won the Oscar for As Good As It Gets you said, “If the amount of work diminishes, but the breadth of experience grows, that would be great.” If you look at your career from post Oscars up to now, do you feel that’s how things unfolded for you?
Interesting; I guess in a funny way, it did. I had more work than three people should have for a little stretch of time, and it was a blessing. But in a way, how do you enjoy it when you know… I had two big careers happening at once. It was very strange. It was right at the moment when people who did TV were even allowed to have big parts in movies. So, I was feeling a little overwhelmed and enjoying it at the same time. I would say that on any given day, the answer to that question is different. You always want better work and sometimes I want more, and sometimes I want less, but right this minute, I’m on Hacks, which has been really fun. It’s such a good show, and they’ve given me so much fun stuff to do on the upcoming season as well. I’m about to go do an incredible play with a beautiful cast, at a beautiful theater. So, right this minute, I have just the right amount of wonderful work.
Your character, Winnie Landell, in Hacks, is quite different from a lot of other roles that you’ve taken on. She’s very Hollywood. She is very abrupt, direct, and far from softspoken or nurturing. What is it like to dive into such a strikingly different character?
I love the show. I worked with Jean Smart twice before, so I love her. I love that it is a different kind of part. She gets into
all sorts of different dimensions. I mean, she doesn’t turn into a fading flower in the next season, but you know, she’s working her ass off in a man’s world to get something that in the real world never has happened.
I’m a big fan of Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert, but you don’t see a woman up there, still. So this character that I’m playing is trying to change the world a little bit, and it’s not easy. That’s how I climbed into it. She is very fun to play.
Are you basing her on industry people that you’ve actually interacted with?
I definitely had encounters with an executive who I borrowed some qualities from to play this part, and you’re always looking for what’s fun to play. One of the fun things is that Jean Smart’s [character] has been very formidable. She hasn’t always been the most likeable character. But then she comes across someone who’s even more fierce than her, or at least gives her a good run for her money.
Your daughter recently turned 20. You had her when you were 40, right?
39! (Laughs)
There you go, sorry! Becoming a parent shifts everything—your priorities, your perspective on life. How did becoming a mom later in life influence your outlook?
Every parent knows that it’s everything. I mean, at least for me it’s everything. Suddenly you have A most important thing — that’s interesting. Suddenly that most important
thing, every day you can control less and less, and can control how they are and how the world treats them less and less. So, it’s more love than you imagine, more worry than you imagine. It’s everything. It’s everything.
You stepped away from the spotlight a little bit around that point. Was that an intentional choice to focus more on being a mom.
Yeah, I mean, I had to try very hard to get pregnant, honestly. So, the idea that I would have this baby and then run off and pretend to be other people’s mothers in movies didn’t make a lot of sense to me. But I kept working. I directed two movies when she was little, so I didn’t exactly stop working, but she was very much woven into all parts of my life.
Have you been able to bring a lot of the lessons that you’ve learned from being a mom into some of the characters that you’re playing?
I think into everything I do. You know, when you get a part you go, ‘Well, is there something that matters to me in the way that this thing matters to this character?’ And you know, she matters the most, so she shows up a lot in my thoughts.
She’s in university now, right? Is she living at home?
She’s at school.
My son is in grade 12, and we’re in the midst of the university application process. It’s exciting but also a bit nerve-wracking and bittersweet, knowing it’s the start of a new chapter. I’m bracing myself for empty nest syndrome—has that been something you’ve experienced as well?
Yes, yes. Luckily, I’m still very close to my daughter. You have to want them to fly. Everything I’m saying, every parent knows, so I’m not reinventing the wheel, but yes, you want them to fly and go, and you’re so happy when they come home, and you know that you’ve got to remember that they’re doing what they’re meant to do.
She plays guitar and is in a band, right?
Yes! They are called Wide Mouth. They just headlined at a place called Space in Evanston, [Illinois]. They played the Winnetka Music Festival. They have a new album out called “Well.” She and her partner write and sing the music, and they’re doing really well. Rolling Stone picked two of their songs to put on their ‘Songs You Need to Hear’ list.
Is that scary for you as a mom, watching your daughter create and put it out into the world?
No, it’s thrilling. Totally thrilling. I just have to try not to cry too hard at the concerts and embarrass her. (Laughs)
You have a new play coming out in February.
I do! I’m doing Harold Pinter’s Betrayal at the Goodman in Chicago, and Robert Sean Leonard — who I’ve known forever — is going to be in it. We’ve already done a week
of rehearsal in September and the artistic director of the theatre, Susan Booth, is directing it, and I’m just very excited to just be three actors and a director in a room for a bunch of weeks and work on it. It’s sort of my favorite thing. It’s a very celebrated play, but it’s not so much the story as the way it’s presented. It messes with time. It messes with language. You think one person’s to blame. They’re all to blame. They’re all horrible and wonderful. Mostly it’s not about any of those things. It’s about Harold Pinter’s language, and how deceptive it is. I’ve worked on Shakespeare quite a few times, and the language is lush and thick and dense, and it’s muscular. And this language looks very sparse, and therefore you’d think it’s easier, but it’s not. It’s super challenging, which is exactly why you go to a play.
Is Chicago an important place for the play as far as the backdrop?
The Goodman theater is what’s important. It’s a wonderful space, a terrific director, great actors, and a beautiful theater. I’ve been aware of the play for a long time. I got asked to do it decades ago on Broadway but wasn’t available. Every actor knows this play because it’s three very, very juicy parts. Then they brought it to me a year ago, and I said, ‘As long as we get extra rehearsal time,’ because rehearsal is my favorite part of the whole process.
You’ve done a lot of great films, TV, and plays, as well. If you look at film and TV, is there anything that you are most proud of?
I directed a movie called Then She Found Me with me, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick, and Colin Firth. I’m most proud of that. I’m very proud of The Sessions , a movie that I did with John Hawkes. The ones you’ve mentioned, too, but those are two that are sort of… you know… I told my daughter, if you don’t want to have a funeral for me, just run those two movies. (Laughs)
Is there anything that you haven’t done that you’re like, ‘I’d love to do that!’?
I mean, it’s all about writing. Whether they’re written in verse in 1650 or written on someone’s phone in 2024, you just want to be part of telling great stories through great language. So, that’s my hope. That things like that find me, which is what Betrayal is, which is what Hacks is. So right now, I’m doing what I love doing.
You spent a time in the early 2000s where audiences regarded you as America’s Sweetheart. You could do no wrong. Is that important to you today?
No. I would like my daughter to think that I am a wonderful person to her, or at least raised her well. And other than that, I want to do work that makes people feel less lonely, you know, and sometimes you feel less lonely when someone puts their worst qualities up on the screen. You go, ‘I’m not the only one who feels that way.’
I would like it if my work entertained people, if it made them feel less alone, if it made them laugh. That would be the main wish.
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’
By Eva Massey
Photographs by Mark Skovorodko
Apink and vanilla sky hung over the palisades, which sloped towards the coastal town of Santa Barbara. On downtown’s main drag of State Street, the little Spanish Mission Revival-style station welcomed guests arriving by train. A few blocks down, the new roadside motel across from the Pacific Ocean, called La Casa Del Mar, had just opened its doors to the public.
The year was 1946 — the postwar years — and the Gage family had just built their quaint motel, the name translating to “The House by the Sea.” According to Santa Barbara historian and author Neal Graffy, this was only the second motel on Cabrillo Boulevard, which runs along the picturesque Santa Barbara coastline. But that was long ago. Today, much has changed in Santa Barbara. Yet, the little motel by the sea still stands, though it has changed owners to a different family and has expanded across two acres of land. The motel is now called the Harbor View Inn. While the dreamy town of Santa Barbara has changed a great deal around the tranquil venue, the Inn itself still offers the quaintness and family friendliness of a good old fashioned, roadside motel.
Californian Paradise
Resting between the majestic Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Santa Barbara is known as “The American Riviera,” due to its Mediterranean climate, world-class wine scene, and the verdant landscape and leafy palm trees. This bohemian, upscale beach community has attracted many people to settle roots, including a celebrity element like Kevin Costner, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tom Cruise, and Oprah Winfrey.
Just 90 miles north of bustling Los Angeles, those arriving by train can board the Pacific Line at downtown Los Angeles’ historic Union Station and arrive at the Santa Barbara station, just two blocks down from the roadside motel, in around two and a half hours. Those traveling by car can cruise up scenic Highway 1 — the Pacific Coast Highway — catching the seaside sights along the way. It is quite a remarkable trip. Upon arrival in town, iconic Spanish-style architecture permeates this city by the Pacific. Many of the city’s most iconic architectural gems still stand, including Old Mission Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, and El Presidio. Two movie palaces built and run during Hollywood’s Golden Age, have now been restored and serve as performing arts centers. However, the architecture this city is known for wasn’t always here.
A century ago, on June 29, 1925, a humungous earthquake tore through town, leaving much of the downtown area in shambles. But with environmental destruction came hope and new life: the community rebuilt its city, creating the Spanish Revival architecture that it’s renowned for today. This spring, The Santa Barbara Historical Museum
which will be hosting a retrospective on the post-quake architectural developments. When the little beachside inn, La Casa Del Mar, opened in the mid-40s, Santa Barbara’s iconic Spanish architecture surrounded it.
The Original Motel
George Gage, born in 1891 in Oregon, grew up to serve in the United States Navy during World War I, and worked aboard a submarine. “[He then] worked his way up to District Manager of Richfield Oil Co. and retired in 1941 to work in the transportation business,” said historian Graffy, who has served on the boards of the Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society, Santa Barbara Historical Museum, and the Santa Barbara County Landmarks Commission.
In 1942, Gage married his third wife, Jeanne. By 1944, the newlyweds moved to Santa Barbara.“They started buying and selling apartments and motels by the beach, and along the Coast Highway that ran through Montecito,” said Graffy. “He was an early investor in the Travelodge Motel chain, at least for the motels that they built in Santa Barbara.”
Within a year of moving to this coastal California oasis, the Gages were looking for the fulfillment of a new vision. As soon as they discovered it, the couple purchased a little slice of beachfront property at the corner of West Cabrillo Boulevard, Chapala Street, and Mason Street, and set to work. The couple’s goal was to build a little motel by the sea and open it up to road and train travelers. They appreciated the potential opportunities that tourism to the area could bring.
In January 1946, the Gages began construction with a planned opening of June 1. They beat their deadline and opened La Casa Del Mar on May 20, 1946. When it opened, it was a two-story motel in the Spanish style of architecture; it blended in with the local vernacular, and had 33 rooms.
The new motel catered to car travelers, a popular trend of the day. From its beginning, the motel offered ample garage space for guests’ motorcars. The quaint venue invited its guests to play in its courtyard loverlooking Cabrillo Boulevard and the shimmering Pacific Ocean. Palm trees lining the perimeter lent the property an air of the riviera.
The Gage family didn’t own La Casa Del Mar for long, though. In 1948, George sold the motel to Chicago native, Gertrude Braune, for $350,000. The full partnership included Gertrude’s husband, Dr. Frank Braune, Gertrude’s niece, Magarite Hahn, and her husband Charles, a fisherman. “The Hahns were the on-site managers,” noted Graffy. “Gertrude was at the motel, as well, but appears to have separated or divorced from her husband in 1952. Dr. Braune remained in Chicago. [Then] the Hahns bought it from Mrs. Braune when she retired in 1960.”
As for George and Jeanne, they later bought and sold several other West Cabrillo Boulevard motels, but after a few decades in paradise, the Gages were ready for a new chapter.
In September 1973, they moved to Tampa Bay, Florida. However, George sadly died three months later. He was 82.
The Romasanta Family
In 1982, change was afoot again when new owners purchased the little motel on Cabrillo Boulevard. Husband and wife team Antonio and Birgit Romasanta heard about a little beachside motel for sale. Birgit, a retired schoolteacher
and homemaker, and Antonio, a very successful attorney, believed that they had found what could be a good investment opportunity. Their son, Mark, who owned his own thriving construction company, would come in handy.
“Two of [my dad’s] best friends were real estate investors, and they approached him one day and said, ‘Tony, we found this great beachfront property,” Mark said. “It was a very small motel on a very big piece of dirt. I don’t know that my parents, when they originally purchased it, saw the future and what it could be. They were looking at it more like a real estate investment. It was kind of a mom-and-pop place. Managers lived on-site and managed 30-some odd rooms. But it was a beautiful location.”
Since the time he was a little boy living in Santa Barbara, Mark knew what he was going to do when he grew up. “I knew when I was ten years old that I was going to build,” said Mark. “I watched our neighbor build a brick patio… by the time he was done, I knew what I was going to do. I started working in construction when I was 16.” As such, he was the right man at the right time to advise his parents. At his parents’ requests, Mark offered estimates for renovation. “I priced out these grandiose plans… the renovation was about double the cost of the purchase price. The other two investors went to my dad and said, ‘We don’t have interest in putting that kind of cash into this old motel,’” Mark continued. “It wasn’t a dream of owning a motel on the beach in Santa Barabara and developing it over years. It was just three guys who bought it who thought that they’d make a chunk of money off it, and two of them weren’t gonna hang around for the long haul. That left my dad with it. That’s how it started.”
A New Vision
Tony and Birgit Romasanta bought the two investors out and went back to the drawing board. “My dad was very successful in the law business… He asked, ‘What can we do to dress it up without spending [a ton] of money?’ I said, ‘There’s tons of things you can do,’” Mark said. “We moved forward with renovations to update and make it a little more comfortable for guests. The intent wasn’t to buy it and develop it, but with my construction background, I got involved in the development of it. Things progressed from there.”
In 1983, renovation of La Casa Del Mar began. The motel stayed open and running during this process, and the managers still lived on property. “It was a husband and wife living in the downstairs apartment, running it on a day-to-day basis. They were a great couple, and stayed on for a couple of years until they retired,” Mark continued. That’s when the Romasantas decided to turn the motel into a significant operation. In 1985, they officially changed the motel’s name from La Casa Del Mar to more sophisticated sounding Harbor View Inn.
Yet, even with Mark’s experience and connections in the industry, the renovation and expansion of the roadside motel did not happen overnight. Harbor View Inn rests in Santa Barbara’s Landmark District, which means everything needs to comply with Spanish or Mediterranean architecture. The buildings can be maximum three stories tall. The land also rested on Chumash tribal grounds. “We worked with the Chumash tribe,” Mark said. “It was a very good education and quite interesting to learn the history of the Chumash
Front of the hotel. The terrace faces the Pacific Ocean.
Indians in this area… we had to respect the ground. We had to be very cognizant of their religious and historical quest [during] the project.”
And as with all great historic properties, this one too has had its share of colorful moments. Over the years as the motel expanded and continued to operate, guests would periodically report ghostly occurences. “We did deal with some really unique things because it’s on Chumash land. This could be true or it could be folklore, but every two or thee years, we have someone come to our front desk and say, ‘We saw an Indian standing at the end of our bed,’” noted Mark. Now that is a tricky problem for a hotel to address.
By the early 1990s, California experienced a real estate and construction crash that had a huge impact on the economy. This was to have a seismic shift for Mark, too. In 1994, he closed his construction business and took over the family business at Harbor View Inn. “I changed it from a small motel to a major competitor on the beachfront. I made it a nicer hotel; I brought my head of construction and labor to the hotel and he’s been working here with us for 40 plus years.”
Mark continued to build out the motel and make building choices that were environmentally savvy. “After 1999, we quit using wood. All of these buildings are totally concrete and steel. The only wood is decorative. This [addition] is built [to withstand] a 7.5 earthquake, and the last building is built to an 8.4. They’re built at very high earthquake standards,” Mark said.
Mark made sure to build the guestrooms and lobby above the adjacent floodplain. He also added a pedestrian bridge on the property. The challenge was that a marine estuary divided a new wing of the motel from the lobby area. The process of building the new bridge took seven years. “I had to build it 100 percent in Goleta and put it on two flatbed trucks and drive it over here and lift it into place, so there’s no debris,” Mark said. “It doesn’t feel like a cookie cutter property… Part of it’s because we had to conform to building
along that canal, that creek. There were some physical constraints, as well as being in the Landmark Historical district.”
The Harbor View Inn’s interiors and exteriors reflect Santa Barbara’s classic Mediterranean and Spanishinfluenced design style. Each room has modern finishes and energy-saving components. They also each provide a balcony or private patio, some with views of the ocean. “It was a transformation of 32 rooms, to 60 rooms, to 90 rooms, to 119 rooms, to 149 rooms over a period from 1985 to 2017. I built everything here,” Mark continued. “We basically have no more dirt, so this is probably how it will remain for many, many, many years.”
Harbor View Inn Today
Today, much has changed. As of this year, Michelin has recognized 15 local restaurants, including Caruso’s at Rosewood Miramar Beach. The city plays host to over 200 wineries, with 40 tasting rooms along its urban wine trail. Its three downtown waterfront beaches are buzzing with travelers and locals, and people wander the local gardens, Ganna Walska Lotusland, and Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Around Harbor View Inn, much too has changed. Formerly neighboring the hotel was an industrial area, home to small manufacturing operations, boat repairs, surfboard manufacturing, and woodworking shops. Over the last decade, it’s become a hub for wine tasting, beer tasting, and restaurants. Now called The Funk Zone, there are many places to dine and galleries to see, just steps from the motel.
“It was pretty much a dead zone from the beach until you got to the other side of the freeway, and that has dramatically changed,” said Mark.
Just next door to the inn, a former roadside gas station has been transformed into a little restaurant. Jeannine’s Bakery serves up brunch under pale pink umbrellas on the patio. It too has an air of the Riviera.
Yet, some things stay the same: people still amble through the beautiful city filled with Spanish architecture, walking the cobblestone streets, through the arcades, and up to the rose garden at the Old Mission. The Landmark District’s beautiful white stucco homes, shops, and wine bars with slanted red tile roofs, invite an aura of a bygone era. And the little Spanish Revival train station still awaits its guests arriving from out of town. “We’ll send bellmen up to the train station with the bell car,” said Mark. “It’s kind of fun because you get off the train and you have a bellman from the hotel waiting for you.” The American Riviera lives on and this once humble, but today still welcoming venue, gladly embraces its guests to come and experience an essence of coastal California that can no longer be found in many other places.
The view from the sea facing rooms and pool is serene.
KANSAS WELCOME
By Jake Baur
Photograph by David J. Schwartz - Pics On Route 66
Route 66 spans eight states and 2,448 miles, but only a sliver of America’s most famous highway belongs to Kansas — 12.8 miles, to be exact. And in the last town that runs along this small corridor of the Mother Road in Kansas, stands the Baxter Springs Route 66 Visitor Center (940 Military Ave - Highway 66, Baxter Springs, KS). This is a destination that makes Kansas’ less than 13 miles of road worth a visit, all on its own!
By 1929, the Independent Oil and Gas Company (IOG), which operated independent stations in Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota, envisioned a gas station along the newly established Route 66. The company set its sights on a property with a one-story livery barn at the corner of 10th Street and Military Avenue, deep in the heart of charming Baxter Springs. They acquired the structure and, on July 7, 1930, opened a small brick service station, complete with two gasoline tanks on the lot. When it opened, the three roomed station, consisting of two small toilets, an office, and sales area, was advertised as one of the most beautiful in the entire district. Its Tudorstyle architecture featuring brick walls, a pitched roof with a chimney, tall shuttered windows under deep eaves, and a bay window by the entrance for product displays made it truly stand out. However, just a year later, due to challenging economic conditions, IOG merged with Phillips Petroleum and the gas station was rebranded with the standard 1930 Phillips color scheme of green, orange, and blue. As a station, the location fit in well with Phillips’ corporate branding, which used uniform ‘automotive cottages’ all across the Mother Road. This design style, favored by oil companies of the time, possessed a domestic flair that allowed service stations to blend in with surrounding residential neighbors, a quality that appealed to many motorists. They created a sense of familiarity, a home-awayfrom-home, while out on the open road. Travelers knew exactly what to expect, which quickly cultivated loyalty in the gas station industry.
“You pull up, it’s on a corner lot facing Military Ave., and you pull up to the pumps and feel like you were there,” said Mary Billington, director of the Baxter Springs Heritage Center & Museum. “It’s easy to step back in time and imagine the gentlemen in their little hats popping out and making sure that your windshield got cleaned. You can feel that when you pull up.”
Sometime before August 1942, an “L”-shaped addition was built on the east side of the original service station. This expansion included a one-bay service garage, linked to the original building by a sales and display area. Phillips owned the property until 1958, when it was purchased and operated by the Parsons family for the next eight years under the moniker Parsons Oil. In December 1966, Parsons transferred ownership to local Phillip R. Coulter, who maintained it for less than a year, until March 1967, and then sold it to the Cherokee Oil Company. And then, in the early 70s, after 40 years of operating as an autoservice station, the building was converted into office space
and used as a dog groomer and chiropractic office, before eventually being vacated and abandoned.
The folks in Baxter Springs have always been big on protecting their town’s history, so it was no surprise when, in 1980, the local heritage society opened up their own Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum to showcase southeast Kansas’ rich past. Years later, they set their sights on this old Phillips 66 gas station that had fallen into disrepair.
Members of the community had long recognized the greatness of the old station, but “the impetus to really get the ball rolling was Kaisa Barthuli. She was the Program Manager with the Route 66 Corridor Management team,” said Billington.
The National Parks Service used to have a Route 66 Corridor Management team that was charged with creating and helping restore and save buildings along Route 66. The Corridor Preservation program concluded in September 2019. “Kaisa would go up and down the route, interviewing and visiting with people, telling them about the grant program and how to apply. And when Barthuli saw the old station, she was instantly in agreement with saving and securing the historic structure. So, the historical society applied for and obtained federal grant monies, and Kaisa was instrumental in helping the society recognize what they could and couldn’t do with the building,” added Billington. In 2003, the National Park Service formally recognized the station as an important piece of Route 66 history and added it to the National Register. “That’s when the heritage society swooped in and bought the place,” noted Billington. Renovations entailed clearing out old supplies, cleaning, and repainting to the 1947 Phillips color scheme of tan and maroon. “Period gas pumps had to be added back because they’d been taken out in the 70s. Today there are now three vintage gas pumps: two outside and one inside the Visitor Center. It’s been a real community effort — the historical society, museum board, and generous locals all pitching in to bring this Route 66 landmark back to life,” she continued. The revived station reopened in 2007 as the Kansas Route 66 Visitor Center, keeping that vintage charm alive for modern travelers.
While the Visitor Center and neighboring Heritage Center & Museum — which houses 23,000 square feet of history on the region’s culture, mining, and Civil War impact — offer a lot to discover, what’s truly amazing about this space is the sheer number of people who want to stop by and share their day with the staff at the Center. “What they’re doing, where they’ve been, what they’ve seen. It really humbles you, that they’re taking the time out of their day to stop and visit,” said Billington. “It’s that sense of community, of slowing down and stopping and caring, where we see Route 66 instilled into our American values.”
As you wander the Mother Road, be sure to stop in Baxter Springs, Kansas, and get a taste of Route 66 in its heyday; Mary will be waiting to greet you and remind you that, “Never, ever has it been about the road. It is about the sense of community you find while traveling it.”
