Local Interest in Restoring Historic Boots Motel For Sale
By: Morgan Schutters, mschutters@kode12.tv
Updated: May 16, 2011
CARTHAGE, MO. --Today a group of more than a dozen prospective buyers looked at the historic Boots Motel in Carthage.
Action 12's Morgan Schutters joined the tour and explains why some hope the motel and it's history will stay alive.
The historic Boots Motel in Carthage is up for sale. And it makes the a national list of the top ten Most Endangered Historic Places.
"It holds a special place in the heart of the community," Wendi Douglas of the Carthage Visitor's Bureau says.
Many want to restore the motel as part of preserving local Route 66 heritage.
Local realtor Jim Hunter says he's had a huge amount of interest in the property.
"Some local historic preservation people and some private individuals who want to remain anonymous at this point but there is a number of groups wanting to purchase it," Hunter says. "I'm hearing from a lot of different groups -the secret is who wants to put up the money."
The property's price tag is just more than 189-thousand dollars.
But preservation activists say that's a small amount to pay for protecting a piece of local history.
"It would be fabulous if someone would return it to its old glory in a restoration effort," Douglas says.
The boots was built in 1939. It's famous nationwide.
"Many people at one time traveled route 66 we even had Clark Gable once stayed in room six of the boots motel," Douglas says.
Contractors say the building is structurally sound and just needs surface renovations.
The motel is not in a preservation district which means if the new owner decides to, demolition crews could tear down the building.
Something many hope never happens. "One of the last remaining good properties that needs restored so we hope there is good local interest to take over this project," Hunter says.
The property is currently being used for monthly apartment rentals.
For more information check out the Route 66 Chamber of Commerce that could move to the Boots if restored click here.
Also restoring The Boots Motel has a Facebook page.
And it's own website: http://bootsmotel.homestead.com/.
