[Source: Bob Dart, Washington Bureau] -- Preservationists are warning that coming generations of Americans won't be able to get their kicks on Route 66 unless steps are taken to save the aging neon-lit lodgings beside the storied highway. The often tacky, always memorable motels along U.S. Highway 66 — once called "America's Main Street" as it bore travelers between Chicago and Los Angeles — will be included in the 2007 list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, to be released today by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Forlorn neon greetings, forgotten Art Deco castles, vacancy signs on motels shaped like wigwams and empty booths in diners designed like coffee pots now line the road once romanticized in the TV series "Route 66" and by its hit theme song. These "quirky roadside attractions and mom-and-pop motels . . . offered travelers essential amenities and a touch of fantasy," the Trust said. But the Trust said these historic motels are now caught "in an economic squeeze" — some rural ones dying after motorists deserted them for interstate highways and chain establishments and others pressured by high taxes and development in growing suburbs. "Route 66 is a road of memories and adventures, many of which began at one of the hundreds of historic motels along this storied highway," said Trust president Richard Moe. "If we don't fight hard to save the Route 66 motels, there won't be anything left to break up the monotony, and a distinctive, irreplaceable part of this nation's history will be lost forever." In the 1950s, for example, Central Avenue in Albuquerque, N.M., had more than 100 motels, the Trust said, but now there are about 25, and more are closing despite efforts by the city to protect signature motels such as the DeAnza Motor Lodge and the El Vado. The Trust urged local governments to develop policies and financial incentives to support these motel properties. The Munger Moss in Lebanon, Mo., and the Blue Swallow in Tucumcari, N.M., are examples of motels that cater to a growing base of heritage tourists looking for an authentic Route 66 experience. "Route 66 has to be by far the most famous road in America," Moe said. "It tells the story of western migration during the Dust Bowl and beyond.
[Note: To read the full article, click here. Photo source: Peter Tobia, Philadelphia Inquirer.]
