Wagon Wheel Motel Cuba MO: Sleep at Route 66’s Oldest

Wagon Wheel Motel: Spending the Night at Route 66’s Oldest

Where Is the Wagon Wheel Motel?

Address: 901–905 East Washington Street, Cuba, MO 65453

Phone: (573) 885-3411

Website: wagonwheel66cuba.com

Owner: Connie Echols

Rooms: 19 rooms across original Ozark stone buildings; the former café building now houses the gift shop

Check-In / Check-Out: Verify current times at wagonwheel66cuba.com or by phone

Rates: Verify current nightly rates at wagonwheel66cuba.com — the motel books quickly in peak season

[AFFILIATE LINK: Booking.com — Wagon Wheel Motel Cuba MO and nearby Route 66 lodging options]

Driving Context: The Wagon Wheel sits on the northeast edge of Cuba on East Washington Street (Historic Route 66). From I-44, take Exit 208 south on Highway 19 / Franklin Street into downtown Cuba, then turn left (east) on Washington Street. The motel is approximately half a mile east of the turn. It is about 90 miles southwest of St. Louis and 45 miles northeast of Rolla on the Route 66 / I-44 corridor.

The History of the Wagon Wheel Motel

Robert and Margaret Martin Build the Wagon Wheel (1936)

Robert and Margaret Martin opened the Wagon Wheel in 1936 as a full-service roadside operation: a café, a filling station leased to Marathon Oil Company, and three stone lodging buildings set back from the highway. The lodging was originally called the Wagon Wheel Cabins — each building housed three rooms with attached garages, an unusual configuration for the era that anticipated the multi-unit motel layouts that would become standard in the 1940s and 1950s.

The buildings were constructed by stonemason and builder Leo Friesenhan using local Ozark sandstone in the Tudor Revival style — steeply pitched roofs, arched doorways, and decorative stone trimmings that gave the property an appearance more substantial and permanent than the typical roadside tourist court of the period. By 1939, the American Automobile Association was listing the Wagon Wheel in its national directory, describing it as “one of the finest courts in the state” at $2.50 to $3 per night for two persons.

John Mathis and the Neon Sign (1947)

In 1947, John and Winifred Mathis purchased the Wagon Wheel Cabins and modernized the property. The café and filling station were rebranded as part of the complex, the name was changed from Cabins to Motel, and two additional buildings — a concrete lodging unit and a laundry facility — were added to the rear of the property. John Mathis designed the motel’s iconic neon sign himself, sitting at his kitchen table. That sign still stands at the road’s edge and lights up every evening, its buzz audible from close range.

The Mathis years established the Wagon Wheel’s reputation for hospitality along the Route 66 corridor. East Washington Street was the main road through Cuba from 1926 until Interstate 44 bypassed the town in 1969, and during those peak decades the Wagon Wheel benefited from the full weight of Route 66 traffic flowing through town.

The Armstrong Years and the Long Decline

Pauline and Harold Armstrong ran the Wagon Wheel for approximately 40 years, maintaining its reputation through the difficult decades after I-44 diverted Route 66 traffic. The property changed hands and gradually declined in condition after Pauline Armstrong died in 2003 and Harold in 2008. James Armstrong, Harold’s son, held the property until it was purchased in September 2009.

Connie Echols and the 2009 Restoration

Connie Echols purchased the Wagon Wheel in September 2009 and undertook a room-by-room restoration that is one of the most careful preservation efforts on the entire route. Each of the 19 rooms was gutted and refitted with new plumbing and wiring while retaining the original 1930s wooden doors, windows, and floors. Modern amenities — flat-screen TVs, wireless internet, comfortable bedding — were added without altering the stone walls or the architectural character of the buildings. A temporary frame structure that had obscured the original filling station building was removed in November 2009, restoring the property’s period silhouette.

The Wagon Wheel Motel on Route 66

The Cars Connection

CarsCarsCars

What to Expect When You Stay

The Rooms

The Wagon Wheel’s 19 rooms are distributed across the original stone buildings and a rear concrete addition. The rooms in the original stone structures are the ones to request — the Ozark sandstone walls, steeply pitched roofs, and original wooden door and window frames create an atmosphere that no modern motel can reproduce. Each room has been fitted with new plumbing, wiring, flat-screen TV, and WiFi, but the bones of the room are genuinely 1930s.

Honest assessment: these are motel rooms, not boutique hotel suites. The rooms are clean and well-maintained, but they are compact by modern standards and the stone construction means they run cool in the mornings regardless of the season. Bring a layer. The outdoor areas — firepits, decks, and a concrete patio — make the property feel larger than the room count suggests, and on warm evenings the courtyard between buildings is where the real Wagon Wheel experience happens.

The Gift Shop and Property

The former café building at the front of the property now houses Connie’s Shoppe, a well-stocked gift shop with Route 66 books (including Riva Echols’s history of the motel), T-shirts, jewelry, décor, and a selection of original Wagon Wheel antiques. The original filling station structure — its period silhouette restored after the removal of later additions — stands adjacent to the café. The neon Wagon Wheel sign at the road’s edge still lights up each evening and is one of the most photographed neon signs on Missouri’s Route 66.

Best Time to Visit and Photography Tips

The Wagon Wheel is open year-round, but spring and fall are the most atmospheric seasons — cool enough for the Ozark stone to feel cozy rather than cold, and the surrounding landscape is at its best. Summer books quickly; reserve well in advance for May through September. The motel hosts various Route 66 car clubs and motorcycle groups throughout the season.

• The neon sign is the essential photograph and is best shot at dusk, when the sky is still faintly lit but the neon is fully visible. Position yourself on East Washington Street with the sign as the foreground element and the stone buildings behind it — this captures both the period signage and the architectural character in a single frame.
• The Tudor Revival stone facade of the original cabin buildings photographs well in the late afternoon, when low-angle light catches the texture of the Ozark sandstone. Shoot from the courtyard between buildings to include multiple structures in one frame.
• The filling station building at the front of the property — with its period silhouette restored — is a strong architectural detail shot in morning light. Include the Route 66 shield signage visible from Washington Street to anchor the image geographically.

Tips for Staying at the Wagon Wheel Motel

• Book well in advance — particularly for weekends and the summer season. The motel has only 19 rooms and fills quickly, especially during Route 66 events and car rallies.
• Request a room in one of the original Ozark stone buildings rather than the rear concrete addition — the stone rooms are what make the Wagon Wheel experience distinct.
• The motel is within easy walking distance of Missouri Hick Barbeque and Shelly’s Route 66 Café — no need to drive for dinner or breakfast during your stay.
• Pick up a Mural Map at the Cuba Visitor Center (I-44 Exit 208) before checking in — it makes the evening and morning mural walks significantly more rewarding.
• The gift shop (Connie’s Shoppe) in the former café building is open during the day and carries Riva Echols’s history of the Wagon Wheel — the best single account of the property’s story.
• The motel is pet-friendly — verify current pet policy and any fees when booking.
• Accessibility: the stone buildings have original-era thresholds and layouts that may present challenges for some mobility devices — contact the motel in advance to discuss specific needs.

2026 Route 66 Centennial Connection

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Wagon Wheel Motel really the oldest motel on Route 66?

Yes. The Wagon Wheel Motel has been continuously operating since 1938 — making it the oldest motel on U.S. Route 66 that has never closed. The site opened as a café and filling station in 1936, with the motel cabins beginning operations in 1938. It has remained in operation through every subsequent decade, including the difficult years after Interstate 44 bypassed Cuba in 1969.

Is the Wagon Wheel Motel on the National Register of Historic Places?

Yes. The Wagon Wheel Motel, Café and Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. The property also received grant assistance from the National Park Service’s Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, which has cited it as one of the best examples of a surviving locally owned and operated Route 66 tourist court on the entire highway.

What are the rooms like at the Wagon Wheel Motel?

The rooms in the original Ozark stone buildings retain their 1930s wooden doors, windows, and floors, but have been fully renovated with new plumbing, wiring, flat-screen TVs, and WiFi. They are clean and atmospheric but compact — genuine 1930s motel scale rather than modern hotel dimensions. The stone walls keep rooms cool in the mornings. The outdoor courtyard, firepits, and patio areas are a significant part of the experience.

How do I book a room at the Wagon Wheel Motel?

Call (573) 885-3411 or visit wagonwheel66cuba.com to check availability and book directly. The motel fills quickly in peak season (May through September) and during Route 66 car events — book as early as possible for summer travel.

Is the Wagon Wheel Motel connected to the movie Cars?

Possibly in part. A ruined roadside motel called the Wheel Well appears in the 2006 Pixar film Cars, and Route 66 historians have noted the name and concept’s similarity to the Wagon Wheel. Pixar drew from multiple Route 66 sources in creating Radiator Springs. The Wagon Wheel’s status as the highway’s most famous surviving stone cabin motel makes the connection plausible, though Pixar has not officially confirmed it as the specific inspiration.

Final Thoughts on the Wagon Wheel Motel

The Wagon Wheel Motel works as a Route 66 experience because it is not performing anything. The stone is original. The neon sign is the one John Mathis designed at his kitchen table in 1947. The wooden doors are the ones that opened for travelers in 1938. Connie Echols’s restoration preserved what was there rather than replacing it with something that looked old, and the result is a motel that tells the truth about what Route 66 overnight travel was actually like — modest, well-maintained, warm in hospitality, and built to last from the ground up.

Nearby Route 66 Highlights

• CLOSED – Bob’s Gasoline Alley — 822 Beamer Lane, just southwest of Cuba — the most extensive Route 66 gasoline memorabilia collection in the Midwest, with outdoor displays viewable at any time.
• World’s (Former) Largest Rocking Chair — 5957 Highway ZZ, Fanning (4 miles west) — a 42-foot giant rocking chair visible from I-44 and a beloved roadside photo stop.