The town of Canute, Oklahoma, has landed a $695,000 grant through the Oklahoma Route 66 Revitalization Grant Program, state officials confirmed last week to KECO radio in nearby Elk City.
Among the projects for the grant is the restoration of the iconic Cotton Boll Motel neon sign and repainting of the Washita Motel sign.
Funds will also be used for cosmetic improvements to the town’s vintage DX and Texaco gas stations, plus renovating the historic Village of Canute building into a tourism center and market for local artisans.
According to Route 66 Times, the Cotton Boll Motel was built in 1960. The motel closed to 1979. The motel building still exists as a private residence, though the distinctive sign along Route 66 has stood sentinel for decades.
The Washita Motel also opened in the 1960s and has been closed since 1992. Like the Cotton Boll, its sign has stood tall against the elements.
The Texaco, aka Kupka Texaco Station, opened in the 1930s and continued to operate until the 1960s.
The funds from the grant program are designed to spruce up Route 66 before its centennial next year.
(Image of the Cotton Boll Motel sign in Canute, Oklahoma, by Thomas Hawk via Flickr)