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The Blue Swallow Motel on Route 66 in Tucumcari, NM. This motel is on the National Register of Historic Places.
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View east of the Blue Swallow sign and office.
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End view of the Blue Swallow motel units and route 66 sign with cactus.
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View of Blue Swallow courtyard from the east side of the office building. Each room has a working garage. Blue neon lights in the shape of a swallow are located above each pair of garage doors.
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Another view of Blue Swallow courtyard from the west side of the office building.
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Close up of the great neon Blue Swallow Motel sign.
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This is a view looking east of the west gable end of the abandoned Tucumcari Train depot. This was originally a Rock Island RR Train Station.
Since this image was taken in December 2003 the building has been repainted.
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This is a view generally west of the east gable and north elevation of the train depot. The railroad adjacent to
the depot is an active set of freight railroad tracks.
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Close-up of previous view.
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This is a view of the center gable on the south elevation of the train depot.
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Detail of a wood roof bracket that supports the exposed soffit at the eave.
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The lighted neon sign of the Pony Soldier Motel. This motel is located on the east end of the traditional motel row in Tucumcari.
Since this image was taken the Pony Soldier Motel has closed for business.
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This is the famous Tepee Curios sign on Route 66 in Tucumcari.
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This is the "Tepee Curios" Gift Shop.
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Straight on view of the entrance to "Tepee Curios" Gift Shop.
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Close-up of the "Tepee Curios" neon sign along old Route 66 in Tucumcari.
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The Palamino Motel and another great lighted sign along old Route 66 in Tucumcari.
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Close-up view of the Palamino Motel sign.
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Close-up view of the Palamino Motel sign.
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The Motel Safari neon sign on old Route 66 on Tucumcari.
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Another great lighted sign on old Route 66 in Tucumcari - The Royal Palacio Motel
Since this image was taken the Royal Palacio has been renamed The American and repainted with different colors.
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The Royal Palacio is a classic international style motel with lots of glass, decorative concrete block pilasters and simple steel pipe canopy supports.
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View looking west on old Route 66 in Tucumcari at the Apache Motel.
Since these images were taken in December of 2003 the Apache Motel sign background has been painted white
and the motel repainted with different colors.
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Close-up view of the Apache Motel neon sign and office.
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The Apache Motel has a mural of Tucumcari Mountain painted on the rear or east elevation of building.
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This is a straight-on view of the Tucumcari Mountain mural on the east elevation of the Apache Motel.
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Zoomed view of the Apache Motel neon sign.
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This sign along old Route 66 explains some of the significance of "Tucumcari Mountain" to early travelers in this area.
The mountain can be seen just south of Interstate 40 after the first exit westbound.
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This is the abandoned wing of a motel in downtown Tucumcari.
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View of the corner of an abandoned wing of a motel in downtown Tucumcari.
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View under the porch of the abandoned wing of a motel in downtown Tucumcari.
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This building was the "Tucumcari Motel" near downtown. Downtown Tucumcari is several blocks from old Route 66.
The Interstate has definitely rerouted traffic in and around Tucumcari, NM.
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East elevation of the Tucumcari Motel located near the Train Depot.
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Close-up view of the neon sign of the abandoned "Tucumcari Motel".
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View looking east of the once great neon sign at the "Lasso Motel" on old Route 66 in Tucumari. A victim ofthe interstate.
Frontier Museum between Tucumcari and Santa Rosa.
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View north from old Route 66 at the remains of the Lasso Motel.
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View of Lasso Motel office with neon sign. It appears the corner window was an exterior sign-in or registration desk.
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Close up of the "Lasso Motel" sign. The smaller image is from a previous time when the motel was a going concern.
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This building was once the western wing of The Cactus Motor Lodge. The football field size center court is now The Cactus RV Park. The abandoned buildings form an
enclosed courtyard on three sides of this property creating a visual barrier to the adjacent businesses.
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Close-up of the corner unit of the west wing. The imitation stone facade is a veneer added in the 1950's to the original 1941 white stucco exterior. Also note the removal of
round clay tiles at roofline.This motel would have orginally appeared similar to "La Casa Grande motel in Crestwood, MO.
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This is the covered entrance to the unit in the previous image and typical of all corner units. The white stucco finish on the walls under the porch roof match the original
appearance of motel exterior before the imitation stone veneer was added.
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This sign has been replaced with a restored neon sign that matches the original Cactus Motel sign. Restored Cactus Motel Neon Sign.
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The "Westerner" is an abandoned drive-in restaurant on old Route 66 in Tucumcari. Since these images were taken in December 2003 the entire canopy has been removed.
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The view generally west of the "Westerner as seen from old Route 66.
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Close view of the drive-in canopy of the "Westerner".
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View of underside of the roof canopy.
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View east under the canopy.
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View generally east of the drive-in canopy.
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The menu at the exterior drive-up stations of the "Westerner".
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The menu on the wall at the doorway to the interior seating area of the "Westerner"
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Close-up view of the lighted sign at the"Westerner". The local high school sports teams goes by the name of "Rattlers".
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This is the abandoned Ranch House Cafe just west of the Westerner Drive-in along old Route 66 in Tucumcari.
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The Ranch House Cafe sign.
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An interesting home one block north of old Route 66 in Tucumcari with local stone tower.
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Back side of stone tower.
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Perimeter wall and stone tower.
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The Buckaroo Motel on old Route 66 in Tucumcari. This motel is on the extreme west end of the traditional motels.
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Close-up of the lighted neon sign of the Buckaroo Motel.
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A historic sign in a Tucumcari city park along old Route 66. Tucumcari Mountain can be seen on the horizon to the left of the sign.
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The entrance to "La Cita" Mexican Restaurant on old Route 66. Apparently this restaurant is now closed for business.
All images in this Photo Gallery were taken December of 2003.
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Close up of the sombrero above the entrance to "La Cita" Mexican Restaurant on old Route 66.
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Zoomed view of the sombrero above the entrance to "La Cita" Mexican Restaurant on old Route 66.
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Close up of the lighted sign at the "La Cita" Mexican Restaurant on old Route 66.
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Above is a very colorful mural painted on a building along old Route 66. The mountain in the mural with a "T" near the crest is "Tucumcari Mountain".
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Close-up view of mural painted on a building along old Route 66.
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