Eight Iconic Cultural Locations on Route 66-- Part 3: El Rancho Hotel

3.  EL RANCHO HOTEL AND MOTEL, Gallup, New Mexico

Built by director D.W. Griffith in 1936 as a base for numerous Western movie productions, it has hosted many movie stars over the years, including Errol Flyn, Gregory Peck, Humphrey Bogart, Katherine Hepburn, John Wayne and Ronald Reagan.

Nearly a century later, the El Rancho still offers the "Charm of Yesterday."

This is a really neat place.  I just wish Liz and I had not opted for the cheaper motel rooms when we passed through and had stayed in the main hotel.  We did get to meet the owner at the time in 2006, Armond Ortega, in its 49er Lounge, who also owned a lot of the Indian souvenir places.  He was quite a gentleman and Liz was impressed when he clicked his heels, bent over and kissed her hand.

Wikipedia says the hotel was bult by D.W. Griffith's brother, R.E. "Griff' Griffith.

For a much longer list of people who stayed there, go to Wikipedia.

Impressed Me Too.  --RoadRancho

Along66, Dec. 2022: The Cozy, a Medal of Honor and an Elephant

DECEMBER 11

The Cozy Dog in Springfield, Illinois, is getting a new sign.  Well, new old sign.  Those great guys over at Ace Sign Company have designed it as a throw-back kind of sign to an earlier one used at the place.

Bob Waldmire started it in 1946.

DECEMBER 13

Medal of Honor recipient Hiroshi Miyamura will be interred in his hometown of Gallup, New Mexico.  He was 97 when he died recently in Phoenix.  He received his medal during the Korean War.

DECEMBER 15

If you're driving through Lexington, Illinois, you may have notived an 11-foot tall scrap metal elephant sculpture called "American Standard."  It is located by the Freedom gas station.

The artist is Kasey Wells, who has several other sculptures around Lexington, ran as a write-in candidate for President of the United States in 2020.  I always like folk art.

Love That Cozy.  --RoadPhant

Route 66's Quirkiest By State-- Part 4: New Mexico and Arizona

Pictures and text accompany each place. Check out the site.

NEW MEXICO

Tucumcari  (Blue Swallow Motel, Tee Pee Curios)

Clines Corner  (Clines Corner.  Travel Center since 1934)

Albuquerque  (66 Diner)

Gallup  (El Rancho Hotel)

Santa Rosa  (Blue Hole)

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ARIZONA

Hackberry  (Hackberry General Store)

Winslow (Standing on the Corner Corner)

Seligman  (Angel and Vilma's Original Route 66 Gift Shop, Delgadillo's Snow Cap Drive-In)

Oatman  (The whole town and Burros)

Holbrook  (Wigwam Village #6)

(Grand Canyon National Park)

Meteor City  (Meteor Crater)

--RoadDog

Along66, May 2022: Joplin's Union Depot and Gallup's Closed Motels

MAY 9

The City of Joplin, Missouri, hires a firm to help find a developer for the Joplin Union Depot redevelopment and to renovate it.

It is a century old and has been abandoned for more than fifty years.

Located off North Main Street (AKA Bypass Route 66 from the 1930s to 1955).

That is a beautiful structure and I'm happy to see that they are going to do something with it.

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MAY 11

Six motels on Route 66 in Gallup, New Mexico, have been closed by the city, including the Blue Spruce Lodge which had a popular and often photographed sign.

The Hacienda Motel, Arrowhead Lodge, Lariat Lodge, Zia Motel and Redwood Lodge are the other ones.

I agree, either do something with eyesores or tear them down.

--RoadDog

Along66, February 2022: The El Rancho's Renovation

FREBRUARY 17

El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, New Mexico, is undergoing $6 million in renovation.

Shane Ortega, grandson of long-time El Rancho owner Armond Ortega (who died in 2014) bought out his aunt and uncle's share in 2018.

R.E. "Griff" Griffith, brother of the famous movie director D.W. Griffith, opened El Rancho in 1937 and encouraged film makers to shoot in the area (and, of course, stay at his hotel).  And they did.  

Many stars stayed there including John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck and Humphrey Bogart.

The place started declining after I-40 by-passed it and Route 66.  Armond Ortega bought it in 1986 for $300,000 and spent another $300,000 restoring it.

We stayed there one night on our retirement trip across Route 66 from end-to-end in 2006.  Sadly, we stayed in the newer part instead of the older one (next time the older one), but had the good fortune to meet and have a nice talk with Mr. Ortega in the bar.  Such a gentleman.

First Class All the Way.  --RoadDog

Along66, Nov. 2021: 'Lightning McQueen' in Galena, Kansas and Fort Wingate in New Mexico for Sale

NOVEMBER 15

Replica of Lightning McQueen from the "Cars" movie unveiled along Route 66 in Galena, Illinois.  It is part of Luigi's Pit Stop on East Front Street (Route 66).  It also has several other "Cars" characters.

The place used to be an old Kan-o-Tex gas station which was repurposed in 2006.

This is helping revitalize the community as well as other improvements.

NOVEMBER 19

Historic Fort Wingate in New Mexico is up for sale  for $11 million.  It is east of Gallup and originally was a trading post and military post.

It includes a cafe, post office and gas station, plus space for up to 80 RVs.

--RoadDog

Gallup, New Mexico, Is Locked Down Because of the Coronavirus

From the May 4, 2020, CNN News "Lockdown is extended to slow COVID-19 outbreak" by Hollie Silverman.

An emergency declaration to lockdown Gallup was issued this past Friday set to expire at noon on Monday.  On Sunday the New Mexico governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, extended it until at least Thursday to help quell the spread of the disease.

Gallup sits along historic Route 66 (and was featured in Bobby Troupe's famous song)m about twenty miles east of the border with Arizona.  Due to the high case count, the governor invoked the state's Riot Control Act to shut the town down.

"The spread of this virus in McKinley County is frightful," said Grisham.  "And it shows that physical distancing  had not occurred and is not occurring.  The virus is running amok there.  It must be stopped, and stricter measures are necessary."

As a result, all roads into the city, including Route 66, have been closed.  Other restrictions in Gallup now limit the number of people in a vehicle to two and all businesses are only operating between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

As of Sunday night, 1.144 positive cases in McKinley County.  That number represents 30% of the state's total positive cases and the highest concentration.

No Staying at the El Rancho for Me.  --RoadBanned