The Motel Safari - A Route 66 Icon

The Motel Safari was first built and operated by a builder named Chester Doer from Chicago in 1959, using an architectural style known today as "Googie" or "Doo Wop". You will notice many of the retro design elements from the sign, to the oozing brick mortar, counter stacked brick grids in the facade, holes in the cinder block walls and metal cylinders with perforated light holes. Mr. Doer also built a few other motels in town at the time, most of which are no longer in existence today.

A few years later Mr. Doer sold the motel to another man from Chicago, named Ron Frey, who owned and operated the motel for the better part of 30 years. Mr. Frey and his wife Arlene raised a family, all living in the motel together over the years, and they still live in Tucumcari today on a small ranch overlooking Tucumcari Mountain. You can catch Mr. Frey on most any sunny day, still cruising up and down Route 66 in a colorful purple motor-trike, with his dog in the back seat and whimsical handmade metal whirly-gigs spinning from the back of his trike. He even drops in from time to time, to visit the motel.

Originally opened as the Best Western Motel Safari, there was a Best Western Crown sign in place of the current Camel on top of the sign you'll see today. Sometime in 1962, the Best Western Crown was removed, and the current Camel was added.

Speculation has it the Camel was added from a historical perspective, as Camels once actually roamed the surrounding area. In the 1800's during surveying efforts to find the best routes through the area to one day form a national road system, Camels were used as pack animals for the expedition. The Army had bought about 70 Camels, brought over from Egypt and Arabia, to traverse the harsh terrain. When the Civil War began, the Camel's duty was ended and most were sold for various uses, but a few were simply released into the wild and left to roam the local area.

Although the motel is over 50 years old, it has had only 3 primary owners since construction began, until Smalltown America Inns-Lodges-Motels acquired the motel, as the 4th owner in late 2007. All the guestroom artwork, are productions of original photo archives from the local area's history, dating even beyond the Mother Road's existence. One of the photos in the rooms, was taken looking East down Route 66 in 1959, just before the motel was built, so it does not appear in the photo. Most of the furniture in each guestroom is original from the day the motel was built and was custom made on site during construction. The outdoor patio area next to the sign is where the original pool was located and later removed.

Recently the motel began renovations to provide modern amenities, integrated into the room's original dècor, without sacrificing its historical appearance. With Sealy Posturepedic pillowtop mattresses, down pillows, 32" flat panel HDTV's and WiFi, you'll be hard pressed to find another motel as comfortable and yet maintain its original history, which has always been the goal.

Two wall murals have also been added by local artists Doug & Sharon Quarles. One of Elvis arriving to check in with a 1959 Cadillac and tailfins, on the outside wall of the front drive through. Another outside, behind the office, of a 1950's Flxible Clipper, Santa Fe Trailways tour bus, with TUCUMCARI TONITE as its destination. Doug & Sharon have completed 34 other Wall Murals throughout the community, continue adding to their collection, produce Sign Art, run a local Art Gallery and even give lessons.