Blue Swallow Motel
- Retro roadside
- In Tucumcari, New Mexico
- On Route 66
The Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, NM, is a small L-shaped motor court on Route 66, known for its blue neon swallow sign and the garages set between its rooms. Carpenter W.A. Huggins began building it in 1939, and Lillian Redman ran it for about 40 years, making it a Route 66 landmark. It is listed on the National Register and still rents rooms to travelers.
What is Blue Swallow Motel?
A motor court of 12 rooms laid out in an L, with an office and a manager's home on site. Between the rooms are single garages, some still with their old wooden overhead doors, built so travelers could shut their cars in for the night. The front has pink stucco walls, shell ornaments and a stepped roofline, a modest take on Southwest style.
Rooms keep a period feel, with rotary-dial telephones from 1939 among the details. The neon sign with its swallow in flight is lit each night and is the picture most people come for.
History of Blue Swallow Motel
W.A. Huggins, a Tucumcari carpenter, bought the lots in March 1939 and opened the Blue Swallow Court with ten rooms in the early 1940s. Rancher Ted Jones became the first long-term operator in the 1940s, and the motel grew to 12 rooms.
In 1958 Floyd Redman bought the place for Lillian, his bride-to-be, as an engagement gift. The couple put up the larger neon sign and changed Court to Motel. Floyd died in 1973, and Lillian kept the motel going even as Interstate 40 drained traffic from the old road, sometimes taking belongings in trade or giving a room free to a traveler short on cash. She sold it in the late 1990s. The motel was listed on the National Register in 1993, and in 2007 a National Park Service grant helped restore the neon. It has changed owners several times since and is often named as one of the inspirations for the Cozy Cone Motel in Pixar's Cars.
Visiting Blue Swallow Motel: tips
The motel sits right on Route 66 Boulevard, with parking on site. Guests can book a room; passing travelers can photograph the building and sign from the street, best at dusk when the neon comes on. Be considerate of guests' privacy.
Tucumcari is a neon town: Motel Safari is about 0.1 miles away and the Cactus Motor Lodge about 0.3 miles, so a short evening walk takes in several glowing signs.
Practical info
- Address
- 815 East Tucumcari Boulevard, Tucumcari, NM 88401
- Phone
- +1 575-461-9849
- Website
- blueswallowmotel.com
- Hours
- Daily 6:30 am–10 pm
- On site & nearby
Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix
On the map
Full mapBlue Swallow Motel with the 6 closest stops. Tap a marker for details.
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Stops near Blue Swallow Motel
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0.1 mi from Blue Swallow Motel
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0.3 mi from Blue Swallow Motel
0.6 mi from Blue Swallow Motel
0.7 mi from Blue Swallow Motel
0.8 mi from Blue Swallow Motel
0.8 mi from Blue Swallow Motel
Questions about Blue Swallow Motel
Is the Blue Swallow Motel still open?
Yes. It still runs as a motel on Route 66 in Tucumcari and rents rooms to travelers. It has had several owners since Lillian Redman sold it in the late 1990s, and later owners restored the rooms and neon. Book directly with the motel, especially for summer nights.
Is the Blue Swallow Motel in the movie Cars?
Not by name. The Blue Swallow is often named as one of the real Route 66 motels that inspired the Cozy Cone Motel in Pixar's Cars, and the film's closing credits thank the motel. Several Route 66 motels are credited with shaping the fictional town.
Who was Lillian Redman?
Lillian Redman ran the Blue Swallow for about 40 years after Floyd Redman bought it for her in 1958 as an engagement gift. She became a Route 66 legend for her kindness, at times trading a room for a guest's belongings or letting someone stay free. She sold the motel in the late 1990s.
Own or run Blue Swallow Motel? Send us a photo or a correction.