The Clinton, Oklahoma, City Council a few days ago approved a demolition bid to tear down the Glancy Motel as expected, but not without hearing an earful from a few preservationists.
The motel will make way for a new headquarters for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Accepting the demo bid was recommended just days before by the city’s Economic Development Authority.
According to the print edition of the Clinton Daily News, one of those who opposed the razing of the closed Route 66 motel was Chantry Banks, executive director of Preservation Oklahoma.
Banks not only excoriated the loss of the Glancy, but the Trade Winds Inn in the city — best known for its Elvis Presley Room:
“Preservation Oklahoma is a statewide advocacy group focused on preserving historic sites,” said Banks. “I grew up in western Oklahoma and had a fascination with the Glancy and the Tradewinds motels and I have watched as both have deteriorated over the past few years.
“Now that we have lost the Tradewinds, we have an urgent duty to preserve the Glancy which is eligible to be on the national registry of historic places and it is not obscure the economic input something like this would have. It would be the perfect bookend to Clinton along with the Route 66 Museum and would
encourage more time be spent in Clinton.“Western Oklahoma doesn’t have the Route 66 attraction like the eastern part of Oklahoma does and the
Glancy is an important part of history.”
The Oklahoma Route 66 Association gave a statement during the meeting, which it posted on Facebook:
The Oklahoma Route 66 Association has been working to preserve and promote Historic Route 66 in the state for over 30 years. Time after time, we have seen communities remove historic assets that contribute to the unique American story that is Route 66. Clinton, Oklahoma is already known internationally for the Route 66 Museum, cited often as a favorite attraction not just in Oklahoma but between Chicago and Santa Monica as a whole. The demolition of the Glancy Motor Hotel represents a loss not just for Clinton, but for Oklahoma and all of Route 66.
Oklahoma suffers from a lack of authentic historic lodging along Historic Route 66. When development plans were announced to renovate and restore the Glancy, we were overjoyed. Rather than push on to Texas, Route 66 travelers would have a place in western Oklahoma to stay overnight in accommodation that provides the experience that thousands of travelers seek when they decide to explore America via its most famous road. However, that excitement turned to despair as plans stalled and news broke that the City of Clinton would rather donate the land to the State rather than continue the pursuit of preservation for this one-of-a-kind landmark.
The Association shouldn’t have to tell you what a positive economic engine Route 66 is for the communities that capitalize on its brand. According to the office of Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell, every dollar invested in tourism in Oklahoma returns sevenfold. 2021 was the best year for Oklahoma Tourism in state history, generating over $10 billion in direct visitor spending. Route 66 advertising, specifically, had a 259:1 return on investment that year. Rutgers University has released multiple studies showing the worldwide recognition that Route 66 has and how towns, big and small, see increased tourist spending when the identity of the highway is embraced. By demolishing this property, Clinton is robbing itself of these dollars.
The Centennial of Route 66 is right around the corner. When people from around the world come to Clinton in 2026, we fear they will come through Clinton. Every one of Oklahoma’s Route 66 communities has a unique story to tell; we sincerely hope that Clinton’s story will not have to include missed opportunities and the loss of history that makes Route 66 such a special place.
The development was an ugly turn from a hopeful note for the motel’s future just two years ago.
Local oilman Rick Koch originally had planned in 2021 to restore the Glancy Motel and the long-defunct and neighboring Pop Hicks restaurant. He backed away from the project so he could concentrate on the closed Whitten Inn, formerly a Ramada Inn, on the city’s west side near Interstate 40 and the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum.
A fire destroyed the iconic Pop Hicks restaurant in 1999. Pop Hicks never was rebuilt because it lacked insurance. The restaurant opened in 1936.
Other proposals for the Glancy site — including an RV park or an Airbnb location — apparently weren’t as attractive to city officials as the Oklahoma Highway Patrol’s, or they lacked funding.
The Glancy Motel at 217 W. Gary Blvd. (aka Route 66) was condemned by the city in 2019 after numerous code violations. The motel was built in 1950 and remodeled in 2007.
(Image of the Glancy Motel in Clinton, Oklahoma, via Facebook)
Not only the Glancy Motel, but the Atchinson, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railway’s substantial depot too has been left to rot by the citizens of Clinton. My visit on October 22, 2021 showed both properties in abysmal condition, ready for the bulldozer.
Let’s hope that a project more respectful of the place will be found and retained.
The architectural style of the Glancy is “Mid-Century Yuck” Won’t miss it for a second. I hope the sign survives somehow, though. The big red > is cool.