The
Coral Court Motel in Marlborough,
Missouri, a
St. Louis suburb, was built in 1941. During the heydays of Route 66, it expanded to 77 rooms. However, when
Route 66 was bypassed by Interstate 44 in the 1970s, it began to decline and closed its doors in 1993. In the meantime, it had been designated on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 as a valuable example of the art deco and streamline moderne architectural styles. But, the designation wouldn't be enough. Despite strong local efforts advocating historic preservation, it was demolished in 1995 for a suburban housing development. Photo by
John Margolies, 1988.