A Once-Great Missouri Motel on Route 66 Now Abandoned and Trashed

It's a reality that businesses come and go, but sometimes history gets lost in the process. That's definitely the case for a once-great Missouri motel on the famous Route 66 that is now abandoned and has been mostly trashed.

Route 66 News shared the abrupt closing of the Gardenway Motel Villa Ridge back in 2014. As they mention, it was built by a family in 1945 and originally had all-tile bathrooms which was quite a thing for that era.

What's left of this historic place that has been unattended to for 7 years? The sad answer is not much except barren rooms that appear to have been taken over by drug addicts.

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How pathetic that it's now been overrun by vagabonds with needles as remnants show in this room.

How many travelers down Route 66 over the years have picked up keys from this desk I wonder?

I swear the Gardenway Motel Villa reminds me of the place Steve Martin and John Candy stayed in on their trip home in Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Route 66 News shared a couple of postcards from the Gardenway Motel Villa's heyday including the news that the letters were taken off the top of the building after this recent exploration.

Yes, businesses come and go, but you'd think there'd be some way that some of the history could have been saved. As it stands, looks like anyone who traveled through this place will have to rely on their memories of what used to be.