El Vado Motel - "Wiggle Room" - Albuquerque, NM - Zippy the Pinhead Locations on Waymarking.com

The famous El Vado Motel has seen it all! Route 66 passes right in front of this beautiful motor court and its glorious neon has been beckoning travelers for six decades. The adobe cabins epitomize everything southwestern and capture the spirit of the "Land of Enchantment." Because of the El Vado's unique character it has been placed on the National Historic Register. It truly is one of the best examples of a classic Route 66 motor court to be found along the Mother Road and is an irreplaceable treasure indeed! Imagine all the people that have passed through here over the years.

In 2005, this historic motel was threatened with destruction by a developer who had purchased the property for the construction of luxury townhouses. Fortunately, Route 66ers, local preservationists, and city officials were able to keep that from happening. In 2008, the motel was saved as indicated in the following Route 66 News article:

Today Mayor Chavez announced that the El Vado Motel has been saved from demolition and the City of Albuquerque has been granted access to the property to begin the preservation of the historic hotel that has been noted by many Route 66 historians as a treasure. “For anybody that understands the history of Route 66, this is one of the great facilities, great structures architecturally in the history of Route 66,” said Mayor Marty Chavez.

The City as well as dispatching inspectors to secure the property (fenced and boarded up) since recent vandalism had occurred, advanced a sum of $680,000 by the City of Albuquerque to the District Court Registry for the City’s purchase of the property. Both parties, the City and the property owner, will provide appraisals for the El Vado Motel.

“Today we work to protect our future by preserving our past,” stated Mayor Chavez.