Cactus Motor Lodge - Tucumcari

The Cactus Motor Lodge is located on East Route 66 in Tucumcari, New Mexico.  The original buildings were constructed in the Pueblo Revival Style by I.E. and Edna Perry in 1941.  The motel consists of three wings in a U shape and a main office, which originally functioned as a dance hall.  The neon sign at the entrance was added in 1950.  In 1952 the facade was altered with the addition of Perma-Stone, a synthetic siding, once considered a trendy way to update older buildings.  A drive-thru bay was added in 1955.  By 1980 the pool had been filled and the grounds altered with landscaping.  With the passing of Tucumcari when Interstate 40 opened in the 1970's the lodge came on hard times and fell into some disrepair.  The motel closed and the complex opened as an RV camp ground now known as the Cactus RV Park.  The neon sign, although not working, remains along Route 66 at the entrance to the park.  The Cactus Motor Lodge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. 

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