Brookshire Motel in Tulsa lands on Oklahoma’s Most Endangered list

Preservation Oklahoma named the Brookshire Motel in Tulsa, long declining and damaged by a fire a few weeks ago, on its annual list of Oklahoma’s Most Endangered Places on Monday.

Here’s what the nonprofit organization stated in a news release:

POK aims to promote the places where Oklahoma history lives by bringing awareness to historic landmarks across the state. Although inclusion on this list does not guarantee protection or funding, recognition for these structures may increase restoration efforts and possibly ensure their longevity.

“The past year has proved to be a difficult time for Oklahoma’s historical structures with the loss of Founder’s Bank, the fire and partial loss of Brookshire Motel in Tulsa and the uncertain future of the First Christian Church,” POK Executive Director Cayla Lewis said. “The list of Oklahoma’s Most Endangered Places was created to bring awareness to the importance of protecting our state’s historical resources such as these. Our hope is to bring the issue to light so more Oklahomans are educated on what they can do to help advocate for these landmarks.”

And here’s what Preservation Oklahoma stated about the Brookshire Motel:

The Brookshire Motel is a shining example of the roadside motels popular along Route 66, built in the 1940’s, during the Mother Road’s early heyday. Route 66 Motels were listed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Most Endangered Places list in 2007, and Preservation Oklahoma’s list in 2008 as fewer and fewer historic lodging options remain on Route 66. Many have suffered abandonment and lack of maintenance. Brookshire Motel recently caught fire in February 2019, burning the main building, but leaving the cottages and neon sign. It is currently under threat of being demolished if repairs are not made. 

KTUL-TV in Tulsa reported the Brookshire’s owner, David Silver of Plano, Texas, said he doesn’t have the money to clean up the property but is willing to sell it to someone who can.

But a city councilor takes issue with Silver saying he wants to preserve the Route 66 motel:

It’s an issue city councilor Connie Dodson has taken interest in.

She says since the fire, the city has had trouble getting Silver to cooperate.

In fact, she says they had to spend thousands of dollars putting a tarp on the roof.

To its credit, the Tulsa Route 66 Commission and other city officials have labored to save the property, even after the fire.

Little is known about the Brookshire’s history, although its architecture indicates it likely was constructed in the 1940s. It was

Other places that made the 2019 list:

  • First Christian Church, Oklahoma City
  • VFW Post 2270, Enid
  • J. Paul Getty bunker, Tulsa
  • Fire Station No. 10, Oklahoma City
  • Small-town movie theaters, statewide
  • Oklahoma Theatre, McAlester
  • Esquire Theatre, Hobart
  • Archaeological sites under threat by unregulated development, statewide
  • Luster Mansion, Oklahoma City
  • RJ Edwards House, Oklahoma City
  • Tay-Lo-Rest House, Langston
  • Griffin-Goodner Grocery Warehouse, Tulsa
  • Tonkawa Bathhouse, Tonkawa
  • Edwards Store, Red Oak

(Image of the Brookshire Motel neon sign in Tulsa by Tom Baddley via Flickr)

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