The El Trovatore: Beacon of Light and Hope

The magnificent 100-foot neon tower at sunrise.

Route 66 travelers who chase the sunset into the city of Kingman, Arizona, compare the experience with a long, slow airplane descent. The lights of distant motels and restaurants beckon travelers for miles, and those lights grew a little bit brighter this year thanks to the efforts of Sam and Monica Frisher.

This spring the Frishers accomplished a feat that I never dreamed possible: restoring the battered El Trovatore Motel and its spectacular 100-foot neon tower. Built in 1937 as a service station on a stony bluff, the tourist court was added in 1939 and offered travelers stunning views of the Hualapai Mountains to the east. Its first owner was John F. Miller, who famously built the first hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Sal Sagev (Las Vegas spelled backwards). When Route 66 was bypassed, the El Trovatore fell into disrepair and eventually became apartments.

On a warm May night I arrived via Andy Devine Avenue and immediately savored the motor court's pre-World War II atmosphere. Sam and Monica greeted me warmly and I unloaded my things into the Marilyn Monroe room before returning to the office to snap pictures of the Frishers and their dog Taco. Sam agreed to keep the neon tower lit until morning so I could view its glorious colors in the pre-dawn light (click photos to enlarge).

The Marilyn Monroe room: simple and comfy.

For 20 years I'd passed this old jewel of the desert and dreamed that a savior would one day restore her midcentury glory. Thanks to the Frishers, the dream is coming true. The soaring red and green neon tower was re-lit in March and 20 rooms have already been refurbished in old-school Hollywood themes. Eventually the entire motel will be restored; with so much open space, it's an ideal overnight stop for tour buses from Vegas and Laughlin. Sam is also planning an observation deck that will treat guests to a panorama of the Hualapai mountains and the parade of BNSF trains in the cut below. To book a room, visit their website at http://ElTrovatoreMotel.com.

Sam and Monica Frisher in the motel office, May 2012

 The Frishers have already overcome tremendous odds by saving the El Trovatore and these images are a tribute to their vision. These are the road warriors who keep the spirit of Route 66 alive, preserving the Mother Road as a lifeline for those seeking the true character of America, far from generic chains and interstates. Spend an evening with Sam and Monica at the El Trovatore and you'll quickly spot the qualities that make Route 66 special: individuality, community, and a bold vision of what lies around the next bend.

A guest's view of the neon tower. The LED lighting is temporary.

Only on Route 66 can you get a welcome like this!

The Frishers' dog Taco provides some evening entertainment.

Route 66 Beacons in the News

The classic 66 Motel in Needles: will she beckon travelers again?

Two landmark Route 66 motels are in the news: the El Trovatore in Kingman, Arizona, which has not only reopened but restored its neon tower, and the 66 Motel in Needles, California, which is the subject of an intense fundraising effort to save its classic sign.

Relighting the 66 Motel: There's a reason why most tourists drive to Laughlin instead of Needles, but the Route 66 town will always be my first choice. Between 100 BNSF trains a day, the nearby Colorado River, a Harvey House hotel and a parade of vintage motels and diners, Needles has plenty to interest the Route 66 traveler. Now preservationist Ed Klein is raising money to restore the classic 66 Motel sign in Needles, Calif. I last photographed the sign in 2004 while working on my Route 66 Railway book (back then I was still shooting film!). For as much as it's been immortalized in books, documentaries and artwork, this is the first serious restoration effort I can recall. Ed's goal is to raise $3,600 by 11:59 p.m. PT on Wednesday, April 18; about 35 hours remain as of this posting. Click HERE to see a 90-second video on the restoration and donate online. (Donors get cool Route 66 perks!)

Can you imagine this lit up at dusk?

A Southwest Beacon Returns: I've lost count of how many times I passed the hillside El Trovatore motel and prayed that a savior would one day restore its midcentury glory. Thanks to Monica and Sam Frisher, that prayer has finally been answered. The soaring red and green neon tower was relit in early April and 20 rooms have been refurbished in classic Hollywood themes. A ton of work remains, but the Frishers have already overcome huge odds by saving this Kingman gem. I can't wait to visit and capture that marvelous tower at dusk . . . hopefully there's a way to frame the motel with a passing train in the cut below. For more info, visit their website at http://eltrovatoremotel.com/. You can read a great article on the motel restoration by clicking HERE. Also, author Jim Hinckley has photos of the restored tower -- click HERE to see them.

A big "thank you" to these preservation heroes who are keeping the Route 66 mystique alive!