Cactus Motor Lodge

The Cactus Motor Lodge, later known as the Cactus RV Park, was a motel located along historic U.S. Route 66 in Tucumcari, New Mexico. I.E. and Edna Perry built the lodge in 1941. The motel included three wings of units forming a "U" shape and an office, the latter of which was a dance hall when the motel opened. In 1952, Norm Wegner purchased the motel; Wegner added an artificial stone exterior to the buildings and converted the dance hall to an office. After Route 66 was decommissioned, the motel lost much of its business, and by the 1990s it became an RV park; the motel units fell into disuse. The motel's neon sign was restored in 2008.[3] In October 2018, the sign was sold and removed to be relocated to an Albuquerque neon-sign park. Many other items were sold off before the owners sold the property itself to O'Reilly Auto Parts.[4] O'Reilly razed all structures before beginning construction of their store at the location.[5]

Cactus Motor Lodge
Historic neon sign for the lodge (removed October 2018)
Cactus Motor Lodge is located in New Mexico
Cactus Motor Lodge
Cactus Motor Lodge is located in the United States
Cactus Motor Lodge
Location1316 E. Route 66 Blvd., Tucumcari, New Mexico
Coordinates35°10′24″N 103°42′37″W
Area3 acres (1.2 ha)
Built1941 (1941)
Architectural styleExotic Revival
MPSRoute 66 through New Mexico MPS
NRHP reference No.06000154[1]
NMSRCP No.1887
Significant dates
Added to NRHPMarch 21, 2006
Designated NMSRCPDecember 5, 2005[2]

The motel was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 21, 2006.[1]

  • Postcard promoting the motor lodge
    Postcard promoting the motor lodge
  • Buildings in 2018
    Buildings in 2018
  • Office in 2018
    Office in 2018
  • An O'Reilly Auto Parts store under construction at the location on April 7, 2021
    An O'Reilly Auto Parts store under construction at the location on April 7, 2021

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. "New Mexico's Rich Cultural Heritage: Listed State and National Register Properties" (PDF). New Mexico Historic Preservation Division. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 10, 2014. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  3. "2008: Cactus Motel Neon Sign Restored". New Mexico Route 66 Association. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  4. "Cactus RV Park sign hauled off after sale to collector". Quay County Sun. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  5. "Construction expected to begin on auto parts store". Quay County Sun. Retrieved May 31, 2021.


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