Postcardsfromtheroad, roadsidepeek, and all other websites dedicated to vintage roadside americana all include the old Sunset Motel sign in their listings. Not a lot of information, other than it's closed and sits abandoned, but the old neon sign still stands vigil over the vacant buildings that once gave travelers a place to rest for the night.
MAJOR UPDATE!:
The evening of Saturday, November 14, 2009 was very special for members of the Route 66 Association of Missouri. Following our meeting in St. Clair, a festive gathering was held on the grounds of the Sunset Motel in nearby Villa Ridge to celebrate the relighting of the outstanding sign, which had been dark for approximately 30 years.
Just under half of the money to restore the sign and reroof the motel, refurbish dormers, cornice, fascia and soffits, and replace the neon on the gables was granted by the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, with the owners picking up the rest of the tab. Kaisa Barthuli, deputy manager, was on hand to present a plaque to the proud owners. Work on the motel building continues and is expected to be completed in a month or two. In recent history, the motel had been rented as apartments, and when it reopens the owners plan to reserve half of the rooms for Route 66 travelers.
Exactly one year ago, members of the Route 66 Association of Missouri had attended the relighting of the Donut Drive-in sign in St. Louis, another day where we were blessed with exceptionally mild weather for celebrating a momentous occasion in the history of Route 66. In both projects, the property owners were assisted with their grant applications by members of the Route 66 Association of Missouri Neon Preservation Committee. We invite you to help us keep this streak going!
missouri66.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/relighting-ceremony-at-the-sunset-motel
The beautiful porcelain sign for the Sunset Motel along route 66 near Villa Ridge, Mo., saw its neon relit for the first time in about 30 years on Saturday, reported the Route 66 Association of Missouri’s blog.
About half the money to restore the sign came from a cost-share grant by the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. And more good news was reported on the blog:
Work on the motel building continues and is expected to be completed in a month or two. In recent history, the motel had been rented as apartments, and when it reopens, the owners plan to reserve half of the rooms for Route 66 travelers.
Jim Thole of the association’s Neon Heritage Preservation Committee said that David Hutson of NeonTime restored the neon tubing, and that Loleta Krueger, former owner of the motel, attended the ceremony. In an e-mailed news release, he said:
Mrs. Krueger and her late husband (Oliver Lee) had owned and operated the motel for 35 years from 1971-2006. She was very excited to see this renewal of the property that she was attached to for so many years. It is now owned and operated by her daughter, and her daughter’s husband.
The operation of the Sunset Motel, on Highway AT (formerly Route 66) near Villa Ridge, Missouri, has been temporarily suspended as other restoration and rehab work is underway, both interior and exterior (new roof, facia, dormers, etc.). When completed, 4 of the 12 units will be available to Route 66 roadies (or anyone) for nightly rental, “just like the good-old days,” while the other 8 units will remain for weekly rental. Route 66 travelers and photographers should be aware that the newly restored neon sign will remain off until the entire restoration is complete, and the motel is back in business.
rwarn17588.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/sunset-motel-sign-is-relit