Not a lot of Route 66 sites in St. Louis proper, but after three days of touring the Gateway to the West we are back at it.
Sort of... due to the massive flooding west of St. Louis we had to skip about 40 miles of Route 66 driving on Interstate 44 (which itself was just opened yesterday).
Villa Ridge MO
We hopped back onto Route 66 and caught the remnants of the Gardenway Motel which closed in 2014 after being run by the Eckelkamp family for over 70 years.
While not a functioning motel, the Route 66 Preservation Society has taken steps to restore the Sunset Motel to its original glory.
Stanton MO
The Meramec River was one of main culprits in the Missouri flooding and while we were fortunate to not be affected by it directly we did witness the aftermath. In an attempt to tour the Meramac Caverns we had to turn around because even though the waters had receded somewhat the Caverns sustained heavy damage. Check out the picnic table in the roadside tree to get an idea of just how high the water was.
We did get a chance to tour the ever kitschy Jesse James Wax Museum that has been "entertaining" Route 66 travelers since 1969.
Cuba MO
The Wagon Wheel Motel has the honor of being the oldest operating motel on Route 66.
Fanning MO
We've found that while some stops are not "vintage" Route 66 they still embrace the spirit of The Mother Road. One such stop was the World's Largest Rocking Chair.
Devil's Elbow MO
Built in 1927 the Devil's Elbow bridge was how Route 66 crossed the Big Piney River for years.
St. Robert MO
Another case of a newer Route 66 top is Uranus MO, a fake town that hosts a bar, a restaurant and a fudge factory. Fun place.
Lebanon MO
Beside a museum and a mural Lebanon is home to the Munger Moss Motel which has been hosting Route 66 travelers since 1946 not to mention some directional assistance of some other of the more famous Route 66 sites.
Springfield MO
Wrapping up the day we booked ahead and secure the Elvis Suite at the Rail Haven Motel. A room made up to honor the fact that Elvis Presley indeed did stay here back in 1956. Best idea EVER!
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