The Hacienda Motel along Route 66 in Gallup, New Mexico, was torn down late last month, according to eyewitness accounts from travelers.
A poster on a Gallup page on Facebook uploaded a photo of the demolished motel.
The Hacienda was one of six vintage Route 66 motels in Gallup closed in 2022 by the city due to numerous code violations.
The Hacienda at 2510 E. Highway 66 was flagged for unsafe flooring, exposed wiring, illegal plumbing, clogged HVAC vents and issues with the roof, gutters and sanitation.
At the same time, the city red-tagged the Blue Spruce Lodge, Arrowhead Lodge, Lariat Lodge, Zia Motel and Redwood Lodge after an annual inspection.
Average online reviews of the Hacienda ranged from bad to awful. A sample from five years ago:
Room smells of smoke, graffiti on every wall, floors uneven, no windows just boards hanging up. People knocking on door at all times of evening, very suspicious ongoing activities. Abandon vehicles liter the lot. DEFINITELY not worth the price they charge. One time deal, never again.
The Hacienda Motel, built in the 1950s, originally was called the Hacienda Court. According to Route 66 Times, an early postcard contained the slogan “Where Summer Nights Are Always Cool.”
Gallup once was a good spot for vintage Route 66 motels. But with the six probably set to vanish, the city is diminished as a Mother Road destination, save for the landmark El Rancho Hotel.
(Image of the Hacienda Motel sign in 2012 in Gallup, New Mexico, by moominsean via Flickr)