Wagon Wheel Motel

Robert and Margaret Martin built the Wagon Wheel Motel in 1936 with deliberate planning for the growing Route 66 traveler market. The Martins were Crawford County residents who had observed the rapid growth of automobile tourism along Route 66 during the highway's first decade and recognized the commercial opportunity in providing purpose-built overnight accommodation for cross-country travelers. The original construction was substantial — the main stone building and the surrounding stone cottages were built using local Crawford County limestone in a style appropriate to the rural Ozark setting.

The motor court design reflected mid-1930s accommodation practice. Detached stone cottages arranged around a central court allowed travelers to park their cars directly outside their rented room — a substantial convenience compared to the era's hotel format where travelers parked in shared lots and walked through public lobbies and corridors. Cottages were small but private: each unit had a bedroom, a small bathroom, and basic amenities at the level appropriate to mid-1930s travel.

The Martin family operated the motel through World War II and into the post-war Route 66 commercial peak. The 1940s and 1950s were the motel's strongest decades — Route 66 traffic was substantial, Cuba was a recognized overnight stop, and the Wagon Wheel's combination of distinctive stone-cottage architecture and convenient downtown location produced steady occupancy. Various ownership transitions occurred across the subsequent decades but the property continued to operate through Route 66's commercial peak and into the I-44 decline period.

The Wagon Wheel's decline through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s mirrored the broader collapse of Route 66 commercial accommodation. I-44's completion in the early 1960s redirected through-traffic away from the original Route 66 alignment; chain motels at I-44 exits captured the interstate-traveler market; and the Wagon Wheel's small mid-1930s cottages didn't compete with the larger rooms and standardized amenities of the chain alternatives. Through the 1980s the motel operated at substantially reduced occupancy and minimal capital investment was made in maintenance.

By the late 1990s and early 2000s the Wagon Wheel had deteriorated substantially. Several cottages had been damaged or were unusable; the main building needed substantial structural work; and there was active discussion within the Cuba community about whether the property would survive. National Register listing in 2003 provided some formal protection but not operating capital or restoration funding. The property's fate appeared uncertain.

Connie Echols purchased the Wagon Wheel in 2007 and immediately committed to a substantial restoration. The work — which ran across roughly two years — included structural stabilization of the main building, comprehensive renovation of the cottages with new electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems while preserving the original 1930s stone exteriors, period-appropriate interior finishes that reflected the 1940s-1950s motel aesthetic, and substantial landscape and grounds restoration. The completed restoration brought the property back to operating quality and re-established the Wagon Wheel as a working Route 66 destination. Echols has continued to operate and maintain the property since the 2007 restoration completion.

The Wagon Wheel today operates approximately 10-12 detached stone cottages plus several additional units in the main building. Cottages are small by modern motel standards — typically 200-300 square feet — but include all the standard amenities expected of contemporary lodging: queen or king beds, en-suite bathrooms with shower (some with bathtub), HVAC, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, mini-refrigerators, and Keurig coffee. The interior decor is deliberately period-appropriate — vintage-style furniture, Route 66 framed photographs and memorabilia, and lighting and fixtures that reflect the 1940s-1950s motel aesthetic.

Room rates typically run $80-$130 per night depending on season, day of week, and specific cottage selection. Peak Route 66 tourism season (April through October) produces higher rates and tighter availability; off-season winter rates (November through March excluding major holidays) can run as low as $60-$80. Specialty cottages (the larger units, the units with the strongest Route 66 history, and the manager's choice units that get the most-frequent press coverage) run toward the upper end of the range.

The pet-friendly policy is genuine — the motel accepts well-behaved pets in most cottages for a small additional fee, typically $10-$20 per night per pet. This is a meaningful policy for Route 66 road-trippers traveling with dogs, as many chain motels along I-44 have stricter pet policies or higher pet fees. Beyond pets, the property is generally family-friendly though the small cottages limit large groups; cottages typically accommodate 2-4 guests depending on the specific unit.

The main building houses the motel office, a Route 66 gift shop, and a seasonal on-site cafe that operates during peak tourism months. The gift shop is a substantial Route 66 retail operation with a comprehensive selection of memorabilia, postcards, books, t-shirts, and souvenirs — including several items unique to the Wagon Wheel that aren't available at other Route 66 stops. The shop is genuinely worth a visit even for travelers not staying overnight, and serves as an informal visitor information point with maps, brochures, and friendly staff who can advise on local Route 66 stops.

The on-site cafe (when operating) serves breakfast and lunch in the main building's small dining room — typically during the warmer months (May through October) and on a more limited basis during off-season. The cafe's menu is straightforward American diner — egg breakfasts, sandwiches, salads, and basic lunch items — and is convenient for guests but not a destination meal. Most overnight guests do breakfast at the cafe and either lunch or dinner at Missouri Hick BBQ or Shelly's Route 66 Cafe.

The interior of the main building includes substantial historical material: archival photographs of the motel across its 90-year history, original 1936-era furnishings and fixtures, framed Route 66 memorabilia from various decades, and the kind of accumulated history that a long-operating Route 66 property naturally develops. Guests are welcome to explore the main building during their stay and the staff are generally happy to discuss the motel's history with interested visitors.

Reservations are strongly recommended, especially during peak Route 66 tourism season (April through October) and during major Route 66 events like the annual Cuba Mural Fest in June. The property is small (only 10-12 cottages plus several main-building units) and frequently books out 2-4 weeks in advance during peak periods. Reservations can be made by phone (573-885-3411) or through the property's website; the property does not use the major online travel agencies, which is a deliberate choice to maintain direct customer relationships.

Off-season visitors (November through March excluding major holidays) can often book on short notice — sometimes the same day — and benefit from lower rates and a quieter property experience. Winter visits do work; the cottages are well-heated and the experience of staying in a 90-year-old Route 66 motel during a quiet winter evening is genuinely atmospheric. Spring and fall visits are typically the best combinations of mild weather, full property amenities (the cafe and seasonal features are usually operating), and moderate tourism traffic.

Staying at the Wagon Wheel is genuinely different from staying at a chain motel along I-44. The cottages are small and the amenities are modest by contemporary luxury standards, but the historical authenticity and the genuine Route 66 experience — sleeping in a 1936 stone cottage on the historic alignment, walking out the door directly to your car in the morning, encountering other Route 66 enthusiasts in the gift shop and at breakfast — is unrecoverable at any other Cuba accommodation option. For Route 66 enthusiasts, an overnight at the Wagon Wheel is one of the genuine bucket-list experiences on the Missouri Mother Road corridor.