Small Town Motel Conservation
Traveling through Nebraska, one of the most quintessential roadside attractions is the small town motel. However, with the rise of big-box chain hotels and the waning popularity of independent motels, many of these charming roadside stops have fallen into disrepair or been lost forever. Despite this, efforts are being made to conserve and restore these treasured relics of America's automotive past.
One notable example of small town motel conservation is the loving restoration of the Chief Motel in Ogallala, a small town nestled in western Nebraska, near the famous Boot Hill Cemetery. The Chief Motel, originally built in the 1940s, fell into disrepair and was slated for demolition in the 1990s before being rescued by a local preservation group. Today, the fully restored motel stands as a testament to the town's rich history and draws travelers from far and wide.
Small town motel conservation efforts like this can be found throughout Nebraska. Take, for example, the Historic Trails Center in Kimball, which showcases the beautiful hand-built stone structures of the town's earliest settlers. The vintage motels nearby, such as the Hilltop Motel in Cozad, have also undergone large scale restorations. Many local preservation groups are stepping up to help protect and maintain these pieces of American culture.
State and national efforts are also underway to document and preserve small town motels. The National Park Service has designated many such motels as part of the Historic Route 20, the longest historic route in the United States. Projects like the Historic Motor Court Survey have also sprung up to document the unique architecture and construction of these small town motels.
In keeping with these larger efforts to document the preservation of roadside attractions is the Nebraska Historic Preservation Task Force. This group, working closely with the state historical society, is tasked with the purpose of identifying and protecting places like roadside motels that contribute significantly to Nebraska's sense of place.
However, it's not all smooth sailing for these preservation efforts. Conservation and restoration work, especially on sites that are also still in use as functioning hotels and businesses, often present unique challenges. For example, updating buildings that were originally constructed decades ago to modern safety standards without sacrificing historical integrity can be extremely difficult and expensive.
Furthermore, while the National Preservation Act aims to save as many pieces of American architectural history as possible, the historical assessment process for determining if a motel site merits protection is complex and challenging to be placed on national registry. It's the preservationists working to have these buildings placed on Nebraska State and the National Register of Historic Places who are deeply concerned with whether the US preservation goals will reduce, replace or grow side by side these aging roadside properties.
The final goal of these endeavors is multifaceted – on the one hand, conserving small town Nebraska motels ensures their preservation for future generations; it also simultaneously provides localities valuable economic stimulus from travel, helping keep cultural identity alive.
One notable example of small town motel conservation is the loving restoration of the Chief Motel in Ogallala, a small town nestled in western Nebraska, near the famous Boot Hill Cemetery. The Chief Motel, originally built in the 1940s, fell into disrepair and was slated for demolition in the 1990s before being rescued by a local preservation group. Today, the fully restored motel stands as a testament to the town's rich history and draws travelers from far and wide.
Small town motel conservation efforts like this can be found throughout Nebraska. Take, for example, the Historic Trails Center in Kimball, which showcases the beautiful hand-built stone structures of the town's earliest settlers. The vintage motels nearby, such as the Hilltop Motel in Cozad, have also undergone large scale restorations. Many local preservation groups are stepping up to help protect and maintain these pieces of American culture.
State and national efforts are also underway to document and preserve small town motels. The National Park Service has designated many such motels as part of the Historic Route 20, the longest historic route in the United States. Projects like the Historic Motor Court Survey have also sprung up to document the unique architecture and construction of these small town motels.
In keeping with these larger efforts to document the preservation of roadside attractions is the Nebraska Historic Preservation Task Force. This group, working closely with the state historical society, is tasked with the purpose of identifying and protecting places like roadside motels that contribute significantly to Nebraska's sense of place.
However, it's not all smooth sailing for these preservation efforts. Conservation and restoration work, especially on sites that are also still in use as functioning hotels and businesses, often present unique challenges. For example, updating buildings that were originally constructed decades ago to modern safety standards without sacrificing historical integrity can be extremely difficult and expensive.
Furthermore, while the National Preservation Act aims to save as many pieces of American architectural history as possible, the historical assessment process for determining if a motel site merits protection is complex and challenging to be placed on national registry. It's the preservationists working to have these buildings placed on Nebraska State and the National Register of Historic Places who are deeply concerned with whether the US preservation goals will reduce, replace or grow side by side these aging roadside properties.
The final goal of these endeavors is multifaceted – on the one hand, conserving small town Nebraska motels ensures their preservation for future generations; it also simultaneously provides localities valuable economic stimulus from travel, helping keep cultural identity alive.
