The Chicago Tribune today tells about Route 66’s struggles to preserve its historic motels. The article focuses on the closed and deteriorating Palamar Motel in Pontiac, of which a recent photo of it can be seen here.
The Tribune lays out the dilemmas:
But old motor lodges present trickier problems because they are larger and must continue to be viable businesses.
They often are a mile or so from the highway, while chain hotels — such as the Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Super 8 in Pontiac — are just off the exits. The homogenous dependability of brand-name fast-food restaurants and hotels dominates the highway travel experience. Though some travelers branch off to a diner for a sandwich or a drumstick, they are less likely to snuggle up in the sheets of a mysterious motel.
Plus, the independent motels don’t have advertising budgets like the chains do — and they are less cost-effective because they have fewer rooms. The days when families owned and staffed them have largely come and gone. […]
Still, Daniel Carey, director of the National Trust’s Southwest office, says such Route 66 motels could pool together to market themselves and upgrade to meet certain across-the-board standards of cleanliness and modernity. He compared such an effort to the trust’s Main Street Program, which started to revitalize downtowns in 1977 by preserving their historic character while attracting new businesses.
I agree with the National Trust’s spokesman, and there are similar plans being formulated. But ultimately, Route 66 needs to be more than just a cottage industry; it needs to attract more travelers. The Mother Road needs to be publicized to potential tourists, and that’s partly the reason that Route 66 News exists.
The article isn’t completely stark. It cites success stories, including the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, N.M., and the Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, Mo.