Route 66 - De Anza - Albuquerque, NM
by Susan Rissi Tregoning
Title
Route 66 - De Anza - Albuquerque, NM
Artist
Susan Rissi Tregoning
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
The De Anza Motor Lodge was initially constructed in 1939, two years after the Route 66 realignment through Albuquerque, New Mexico, by a tourist court operator and Charles Wallace, a well-known Zuni Indian trader. Soon, Wallace was the sole owner, offering comfortable lodging and selling Zuni merchandise in the lobby. As a result, the De Anza became a gathering place for traders, Native American artisans, collectors, and tourists.
As Route 66 tourism grew after World War II, the De Anza expanded and remodeled. The number of rooms increased from the original 30 to 55, to 67. One of the largest Route 66 motels in its day, it had six one-story buildings arranged in a U Shaped courtyard with a pair of two-story buildings in the center. The complex even included a coffee shop/cafe.
The motel remained on the American Automobile Association's approved accommodation list well into the early 1990s. After Wallace died in 1993, the motel was sold and resold, eventually falling into disrepair before closing completely.
In 2003, after remaining vacant for many years, the city of Albuquerque purchased the complex.
In 2004, the De Anza Motor Lodge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as one of the best examples of how a pre-World War II tourist court was altered to remain viable during the golden age of tourism. The motel is also a direct reflection of Charles Garrett Wallace, an important figure in New Mexico's history, during his productive years as an Indian Trader and Route 66 entrepreneur.
Today, this iconic piece of property has been redeveloped in a way respectful to the site's historical nature. Two of the original smaller buildings, the sign, and Zuni murals, have been preserved. The rest of the motor lodge was demolished in 2017-18 and replaced with a luxury and corporate apartment complex known simply as The De Anza.
Copyright 2022 Susan Rissi Tregoning
Uploaded
March 7th, 2022
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