El Vado Auto Court
a.k.a. El Vado Motel
2500 Central Ave. SW., Albuquerque, NMThe El Vado Motel is one of the best examples of a largely unaltered pre-World War II tourist court remaining along Route 66in New Mexico. Built in 1937 along West Central Avenue in anticipation of the realignment of Route 66, the building is the oldest tourist court along the West Central Avenue commercial strip. When it opened, Albuquerque Progress, a business monthly published by a local bank, referred to the motel as offering"swanky tile cabin suites ready for the summer tourist trade."Its longtime proprietor, Dan Murphy, previously manager of the Franciscan Hotel, was one of the best known motel operators along Route 66. Because of this close association with tourism along Route 66, the property is eligible under Criterion A. The property also qualifies under Criterion C for the way in which its setting, location, design and materials reflect early tourist court construction in New Mexico. In particular, the spatial arrangement of the complex and its ornate use of the Pueblo Revival Style recall the evolution of the early tourist court and the emphasis often placed on regional styles. Its current owners are proud of the long association the motel has with Route 66 and hope to maintain its historic integrity.
Local significance of the building:Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.