Vintage Motel Task Force Established

In a move to prolong its working relationship with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, members of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership (RAP) are forming a Vintage Motel Task Force (VMTF). The task force will first determine desired outcomes, followed by goals and strategies to achieve desired results.

Several years ago, the National Trust placed Rt. 66 and its vintage motels (specifically) on its Most Endangered List. The VMTF hopes to provide the basis for ongoing work between the Road Ahead and the National Trust, beyond the current National Treasure and National Historic Trail efforts, by bringing together resources, information, and technical support that help meet the needs and challenges of vintage motels located along Route 66.

The ​National Trust has potential resources, such as funding, networking, and professionalism in addressing the needs and challenges of vintage motel operations, that could help bolster and preserve vintage motel operations along Route 66. Continuing to work with their pre-existing resources makes a lot of sense for the ongoing preservation of the Mother Road.

“We would like to create an environment in which VMTF members are ‘taught how to fish – not just given fish,’ as this relates to learning how to carry out localized economic development,” explained RAP Chairman Bill Thomas, “as opposed to sitting back and relying on external forces to do such work.”

Current Members of the Vintage Motel Task Force include:

  • Debye Harvey, Boots Court Motel, Carthage, Missouri
  • Debbie and Mike Pogue, Sunset Motel, Moriarity, New Mexico
  • Ed Boles, Retired City Planner/Historic Preservation Officer for City of Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • David Bricker, Chairman, Road Ahead Preservation Working Group
  • Jeff Fulgenzi, Chairman, Road Ahead Economic Development Working Group
  • Kaisa Barthuli, National Park Service Rt. 66 Corridor Preservation Program
  • Bill Thomas, Chairman, Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership