Coral Court Motel - Site of former location
Posted by: 
Wampa-One
N 38° 34.292 W 090° 20.121
15S E 732140 N 4272597
Remains of distinctive stone entrance gates and pillars of the legendary motel.
Waymark Code: WM48YN
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 07/23/2008
Views: 91
Opened in 1942, demolished in 1995. All that remains of the late Art Deco style glazed yellow brick motor court is the stone entrance way and pillars. They are right along Watson Rd. in the Village of Marlborough, MO on the former Route 66 although are not easily visible as they have become partially obscured by trees and shrubs.
Coral Court was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Despite preservation efforts, this cultural icon and local legend was not able to be saved. The Oak Knoll Manor subdivision is where the motel used to be. There is supposedly a local effort underway to have some sort of marker placed at the location.
In 1995, a dedicated group of preservationists disassembled one complete bungalow unit brick-by-brick prior to demolition and transported it to the Museum of Transportation on Barrett Station Rd. It was partially reassembled inside the Earl C. Lindburg Automobile Center in 2000, but there is hope to one day reassemble the entire building unit outside on the museum grounds.
Numerous websites tell the story of this icon. It had a somewhat notorious local reputation as a "no-tell motel" due to the private garages with each unit, the ability to rent in 4 and 8 hour blocks of time, and the discreet management.
(
visit link)
(
visit link)
(
visit link)
(
visit link)
(
visit link)
As the shoulder on Watson Rd. is rather narrow, it may be safer to park in the Oak Knoll Manor subdivision or at Bill Boje's Sunset Lanes bowling alley.