A number of books, websites and even an application to the National Register of Historic Places tell a tragic story of Ted F. Jones, former owner of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico. It was reported for years that Jones, a prominent eastern New Mexico rancher, owned the Route 66 motel through much of … Continue reading So what really happened to the Blue Swallow Motel’s former owner?
Tag: Blue Swallow Motel
Tesla charging station added near Blue Swallow Motel
Tesla Motors this week added a charging station for electric vehicles at a defunct gas station next door to the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Tesla installed two charging stations specifically made for its cars, plus a third charging station for other EVs, on an island where the station's three gas pumps once stood. The … Continue reading Tesla charging station added near Blue Swallow Motel
Former co-owner of Blue Swallow Motel dies
Dale Bakke, a co-owner of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, during a crucial time for the Route 66 landmark's preservation, died Jan. 4, a month short of his 61st birthday. Dale Bakke and his wife, Hilda, bought the motel in 1999, not long after owner Gene Shelton bought it from its longtime matriarch, Lillian Redman. … Continue reading Former co-owner of Blue Swallow Motel dies
If you want to get married on Route 66 …
... Laurel Kane at Afton Station in Afton, Oklahoma, get 'er done as a marriage officiant. Kane presided over her first official nuptials Saturday for a couple that had been together for 13 years. You can read the details at her blog, but here are the important details for anyone else who's considering getting hitched: … Continue reading If you want to get married on Route 66 …
Artisan re-creating smaller versions of classic Route 66 neon signs
Joel Rayburn of GlassBoy Studios in the Oklahoma City area unveiled three smaller re-creations of classic Route 66 neon signs during the Rockabilly on the Route festival in Tucumcari, New Mexico, this weekend. The re-created signs are El Cajon Motel in San Bernardino, California, a Whiting Bros. Motel sign in San Fidel, New Mexico, and … Continue reading Artisan re-creating smaller versions of classic Route 66 neon signs
What I did on my vacation
The answer is: not much. It is supposed to be R&R time, after all. However, my ever-creative companion Emily (aka Redforkhippie) was busy at the historic Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, painting images of extinct neon signs that once graced Route 66 in Tucumcari, plus one in nearby San Jon, in one of … Continue reading What I did on my vacation
Did ‘Back to the Future’ get an idea from Blue Swallow Motel?
A longtime reader, Greg Holmes of Ace Jackalope fame, was at a theater screening the 1985 hit movie "Back to the Future" when he saw something familiar. In a scene were Marty is in 1955, there is a sign for the Blue Bird Motel in downtown Hill Valley. Here's the original image, but I've taken … Continue reading Did ‘Back to the Future’ get an idea from Blue Swallow Motel?
Video summarizes “Route 66: The Road Ahead” conference
A few days ago, the World Monuments Fund uploaded this eight-minute video that summarizes the "Route 66: The Road Ahead" conference that took place in November at a hotel near Disney's Cars Land in California. You'll probably see a few familiar faces from Route 66, including Dawn Welch at the Rock Cafe, Kevin Mueller at … Continue reading Video summarizes “Route 66: The Road Ahead” conference
Blue Swallow Motel named a top 25 U.S. hotel by TripAdvisor
The Blue Swallow Motel of Tucumcari, New Mexico, recently was named one of the top 25 in the "Hotels with Exceptional Service -- United States" category in 2014 by TripAdvisor.com. The Blue Swallow was ranked No. 18 on the list and was the only Route 66 motel listed in that category. Of 822 ratings by … Continue reading Blue Swallow Motel named a top 25 U.S. hotel by TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor ranks Blue Swallow among top bargain motels
The Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, N.M., ranked among the top 25 "bargain" motels in the United States in TripAdvisor's 2014 Traveler's Choice Awards. The Blue Swallow is listed at No. 6. TripAdvisor said the average nightly rate in its bargain group is $91. Random observation: Four of the 25 motels in that category are … Continue reading TripAdvisor ranks Blue Swallow among top bargain motels