The new owner of the Rockwood Motor Court in Springfield, Missouri, is hosting an open house Saturday during the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival in town.
The open house will be from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Route 66 motel at 2200 W. College St.
The invitation on Facebook stated:
Stop by Saturday, August 10, from noon to 4:00 and check out the progress at Rockwood. Have a look at the ongoing renovation of our 90 year old Route 66 rock motor court. We hope to be open for guests in September!
You also can register at that time to win a free weekend stay at the motel.
You can check the Rockwood’s Facebook page to see their progress of the motor court’s renovations.
Dannie Wright bought the property last year and revived the restaurant on the premises a short time later, calling it Bigfoot Subs. She also pledged to restore the Rockwood’s cabins.
Rockwood Court and Cafe opened along Route 66 in 1929 or 1931. Later, it became Ginny Lee’s Restaurant, Motel and Pub. Most recently, it was Tubby’s Diner.
The cabins’ distinctive use of native rock in the walls strongly resembles the defunct Lurvey Courts, also in Springfield. Preservationists are trying to keep the city of Springfield from tearing down that long-closed property.
UPDATE 8/10/2019: Here’s a good video about the motel from one of Springfield’s television stations:
(Hat tip to Mark Mahy; an image of one of the cabins at the Rockwood Court via Facebook)