In appreciation of Bill Kinder June 17, 2011

In a matter of days, Bill Kinder, with his wife Terri Anderson, of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, N.M., will turn over the keys to new owners Kevin and Nancy Mueller.

Bill and Terri will move to the Laughlin, Nev., area. Bill enjoyed owning the Blue Swallow, but has battled cancer for years. In the meantime, the historic motel will will be gaining two enthusiastic and capable new owners.

Bill Kinder and Terri Anderson, shortly after acquiring the Blue Swallow Motel in 2006.

Ordinarily, this would be a time for roadies to send well-wishes to Bill. However, at the International Route 66 Festival in Amarillo, “Route 66: The Mother Road” author Michael Wallis said during his annual “State of the Road” speech he was glad the Blue Swallow was gaining new owners, and inferred he was angry that Bill charged money to some visitors who wanted to take photos of the motel’s neon sign.

I emailed Michael for clarification, and have not yet received a reply (he is in the midst of a book tour). Having known Michael for about a decade, I surmise he thought Bill’s conduct was an affront to the legacy of longtime Blue Swallow owner Lillian Redman. “Miss Lillian,” as Michael called her, was a former Harvey Girl who treated travelers with kindness. Any act that veered from that legacy, I suspect, offended Michael deeply.

However, Bill’s stance on photographing that neon sign isn’t that simple. Overnight guests were allowed, of course, to shoot as many pictures as they wanted. Generally, non-guests who pulled up to shoot photos often were quickly encouraged by Bill to buy souvenirs in the lobby, and many did. Or he offered to take their photos in front of the sign, print a copy of the photo for them, and charge a nominal fee. Neither approach was particularly coercive.

Bill took more of a hardline when uninvited members of a motorcycle tour barged into the motel’s empty rooms — while Bill and Terry were cleaning them — and used the bathrooms. Bill had to call police to get rid of them, and that’s when a stricter pay-to-shoot rule essentially was enacted.

Now … was Bill’s rule unbecoming of a Route 66 business? Perhaps. Was it understandable in the wake of that incident? Probably.

Regardless, Bill Kinder and Terri Anderson were much more beneficial to the Blue Swallow Motel than detrimental. They greatly increased the motel’s financial viability, making it more attractive to prospective owners. They sold a lot more merchandise. They drew a lot more tour groups. In short, Bill and Terri were just what the motel needed at that time.

Other businesses gained as well. Bill often urged eastbound Route 66 travelers to stop at the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas, or other places. Or he’d direct overflow crowds to the Motel Safari down the street.

Bill wasn’t bashful about making money. But after the Blue Swallow was put up for sale, Bill turned down offers until he felt certain the new owners would continue operating it as a motel. That certainly doesn’t sound like greed.

Did Bill have faults? Of course. He could be quarrelsome and headstrong. He’s human. The history of Route 66 is filled with flawed business owners. Even the beloved Lucille “Mother of the Mother Road” Hamons could turn cold or hostile to visitors.

In the end, we have to ask ourselves — was this person ultimately good for Route 66? In the case of Bill, the answer is a resounding “yes.” For that, he should be applauded.