AND THE GOLDEN AGE OF MOTELS

(Photo by Richard Yost/Edited by John Fraim)

Theme from Route 66 / Nelson Riddle

Park Plaza Courts were a chain of six motel courts built by Milton Stroud, Sr., and his brother Lemuel Stroud of Waco, Texas, with the first location opening in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1942. Lemuel supervised construction at each site while Milton stayed in Waco and managed the business. Park Plaza Courts were architecturally similar to the Alamo Plaza motels since E. Lee Torrance (owner of Alamo Plaza motels, who suggested that Milton and Lemuel start the chain) provided the Strouds with access to Alamo’s architect and design. However, Park Plaza Courts were an independent chain that shared neither name nor ownership with the main Alamo Plaza chain, and they merely sported an Alamo-like façade (Scott 2001). 

A photo at the Park Plaza Courts in St. Louis Mo. (Oct. 1951)

Park Plaza locations were chosen to be roughly at one-day travel intervals by motorcar, and four of the six locations (St. Louis, West Tulsa, Amarillo, and Flagstaff; from historic Park Plaza Courts promotional brochure) were in Route 66 cities. The remaining two Park Plaza Courts were in Raton, New Mexico, and Texarkana, Arkansas. The Strouds’ goal was to create a chain where “A salesman taking the four-day drive from St. Louis to Flagstaff via Raton could stay in Park Plaza Courts all the way.”

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Motels like the Park Plaza were the type of places my family would stay at when my father drove the family east along Route 66 from our home town of Los Angeles. Those who have been along Route 66 in the 50s and 60s need nothing from me. Those who haven’t, there is nothing I can (want) to say about this magical American road.

We encourage readers to post comments of their experiences in the old motels of the 50s and 60s. Primarily along Route 66 but all comments welcome!

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The Golden Age of Motels by The Henry Ford Museum