At least three vintage duplexes from Joplin, Mo., were moved to the Red Oak II property near Carthage, Mo., on Wednesday, according to several photos and posts on Red Oak II’s Facebook page.
The sprawling Red Oak II complex, a few miles north of Route 66, serves as a re-creation of old-time, small-town America by artist Lowell Davis. It’s become a popular side trip for Route 66 travelers.
According to one of the Red Oak II Facebook posts:
Lowell is now retired and can’t afford to move anymore buildings into Red Oak ll. But there are some great new players helping his dreams keeping R.O alive and growing. Men like Larry Sernyk, Larry Frienkenschmidt, now Mayor Jim Woestman who is presently bringing 1920’s duplexes. These 3 cute little 1920’s duplex are from Joplin. My plan is to make them into unique motel rooms, to rent out for a night or weekend. To help u escape fr the real world out there.
A phone call to the number listed for Red Oak II wasn’t answered Wednesday night. According to the Facebook account, newspapers from Joplin and Carthage were at the scene. So maybe we’ll know something from one of them later Thursday.
UPDATE 3/8/2013: According to the Joplin Globe, the buildings come from the old Star Motel at Seventh Street and Duquesne Road. The motel was making way for a Casey’s General Store, and the owners agreed to donate the buildings.
Lowell Davis had always liked the motel’s 1920s-styled buildings, which actually date to the early 1970s.
(Hat tip to Alan Denton)
The words vintage and 1920’s duplexes in the copy seem misplaced as these look to be manufactured “new” structures with fake-looking stone facades, modern style windows etc.. Had those been in Joplin over the years, I’m sure I would have seen or heard about them.
Regardless, they will be “Off-the-Route” by over two miles, and in a location that many Route 66 travelers have a difficult time locating. The historic 1939 Boots Motel, located on the original 1926 Route in Carthage, is still the “Real Thing” and much more deserving of the weary Mother Road traveler.
This did appear in the Joplin Globe
http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x986706241/Star-Motel-buildings-have-new-home-at-Red-Oak-II
” Star Motel buildings have new home at Red Oak II, By Roger McKinney news@joplinglobe.com
A Route 66 fixture in Duquesne has a new home at Red Oak II. Lowell Davis, who established Red Oak II, said some of the duplexes that were part of the Star Motel and Trailer Court were moved overnight Tuesday, to avoid traffic.
Alice and Pedro Pantoja owned the motel at the southwest corner of Seventh Street and Duquesne Road. It will soon be the location of a Casey’s General Store. The Pantojas bought the corner, including the motel, in 1973.
Davis said by phone on Wednesday that the Pantojas agreed to donate the motel’s buildings to Red Oak II, a reassembled town out of the past just north of Carthage. ‘They’re real cute,’ Davis said of the motel buildings. ‘I’ve loved them for a long time.’ He said the buildings have the look of 1920s buildings, his favorite time period.”