The mostly shuttered Cactus Motor Lodge on Route 66 in Tucumcari was voted to the New Mexico Register of Cultural Properties, according to a Quay County Sun report.
The place had a long history as a gambling haven as well as a place for travelers to sleep. Here’s an image of a vintage postcard of it. Here’s another one.
Current owner Andy Patel has tried to keep the place shored up in spite of declining revenues and changing tastes. Apparently being on the register at least saves the place from the wrecking ball.
Patel, who bought the place in 1979 when it was still hopping, said he noticed a dramatic decrease in business with the introduction of newer facilities and chain motels. He said the late 70s oil crisis and the highway closing in the early 80s added the lodge’s dwindling business, as did its lack of bathtubs, modern amenities and overall appearance.
“When it rained, it looked really spooky,
Looks like we need to pay this guy a visit. He sounds like a kindred spirit.
Oh, and I’d believe his place looks spooky in the rain. It looks spooky at 5 a.m., too, as I discovered on my lonely jog through Tucumcari in September. But it’s a cool kind of spooky. If I had an RV, I’d spend the winter out there.
Looks like we need to put out the word and get them some business. I know the Blue Swallow is in town, but they only have so many rooms. If people were directed to the Cactus as an alternative it might generate enough revenue for some remodelling.
That’s a good idea, except for one problem: It’s strictly an RV park. It does not rent motel rooms because they’re in bad condition. I verified this by calling the owner.
However, if you have an RV, you can make reservations at 505-461-2501. It also has a Web site at:
https://www.tucumcarinm.com/html/cactusrv.html