A WORD FOR TODAY, May 23, 2023
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, May 23, 2023
“Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope: and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5, WEB
One of the places we stayed while on our trip last week was the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico. This is one of the survivors and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 because it has been in continuous operation since 1940. It had multiple owners over the years, including Rob and Dawn who bought it in 2020. They have a great love for the old place and for their guests. When we checked in, Rob walked us around, telling us the history and leading us to our room. He described the furniture, some of which went back to the 40’s and 50’s. The office and L-shaped building has pink stucco walls that are decorated with shell designs, and most of the rooms have garages. The garages for two of the twelve rooms were converted to guests services with laundry, ice, and a common refrigerator. They play music from the heyday of Route 66 and an atmosphere that encourages interaction between guests with plenty of tables and chairs to hang out and visit.
The hotel is a Route 66 icon, and one of the former owners is a legend. Lillian Redman owned the Blue Swallow for over forty years. It was purchased in 1958 by her fiancé Floyd. They were married in 1964, and she liked to say that he bought it for her as a wedding gift. Floyd died in 1973, but Lillian continued to run the motel until the late 1990’s. She moved to a small house nearby and continued to visit the property often until her death on February 21, 1999.
She originally moved to Tucumcari with her family, traveling to New Mexico in a covered wagon. Her father was hoping to get a job with the railroad, which he did. Lillian moved further west and worked as a Harvey Girl, commissioned by entrepreneur Fred Harvey to be waitresses at America’s first restaurant chain. The Harvey Girls were unmarried women of good character to provide pleasant, efficient service. They wore a uniform that consisted of a long black dress (no more than 8 inches above the floor) overlaid with a starched white apron, black opaque stockings, and black shoes. The restaurants and gift shops first catered to railway passengers, but Harvey focused more on motor vehicles as the roads were built and automobiles became popular. Perhaps it was Lillian’s experiences as a Harvey Girl who made her such a great hostess on Route 66.
And Lillian was a great, and kind, hostess. Floyd and Lillian updated the property when they purchased it, modernizing with a new neon sign that proclaimed the motel had “TV” and “100% Refrigerated Air.” From the beginning, they put their customers first, even accepting personal belongings as payment or even providing the room for free for those who did not have enough money. Lillian loved the people who visited her motel. “I end up traveling the highway in my heart with whoever stops here for the night.”
Eventually the Interstate Highway system played havoc on the businesses along Route 66 as it skirted the towns for more efficient travel. It was a tough time when I-40 was built around Tucumcari, but Lillian Redman persevered. “When Route 66 was closed to the majority of traffic and the other highway came in, I felt just like I had lost an old friend. But some of us stuck it out and are still here on Route 66,” she said. One of the rooms has been decorated in her honor and she is lovingly remembered by those who still embrace the ideals of Route 66.
Much of Route 66 has become little more than a ghost town after the building of the interstate highways, but there are still those who remember those days and are trying to remake what it had been. As a matter of fact, tourism along Route 66 is growing again, and people are nostalgic for the experiences, the cars, and the fun of a road trip. We only traveled 250 miles of the 2448 that once existed, but we saw so many weird and wonderful things. It was people like Lillian Redman who kept the dream alive. She persevered when so many gave up. She fought when she could have let go. As we watch the changes that are happening in our world and in the Church, we have to ask ourselves if we are going to be like Lillian and persevere or like the others and give up. There is always hope because God loves us and the Holy Spirit will help us as we persevere through all our trials, whatever they may be.
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