April 2026

Coral Court Motel, 1941-1995
St. Louis, 7755 Watson Road

Built in 1941, the “ultra-modern” Coral Court Motel was “one of the finest in the Mid-West” examples of Art Deco motor courts on Route 66. Designed by Adolph L. Struebig, and later expanded by Harold Tyrer, it was a complex of about 30 buildings in the distinctive Streamlined Modern style, featuring rounded exterior walls, glazed brick and glass block facades, private tile baths, hot water radiant heat and maid service. Guests could park their cars in private garages adjacent to each room, picnic on the oak-shaded grounds, and relax in the swimming pool. For years, stays could be booked “by the day or by the hour.” During the peak of its operation after World War II, when thousands of motorists resumed highway travel, every unit at the Coral Court was often booked weeks in advance.

“The absence of visible parked cars enhanced the surreal beauty of the Coral Court and set it in sharp contrast to the average motel. The green of the lawns, the black of the pavement, the yellow and red of the tiles, and the blue of the sky combine to lift the spirits of any lover of American commercial archeology.” (Quote by Esley Hamilton, St. Louis County architectural historian, 1990s)

After years of operation and popularity, and despite being placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 and the efforts of local and national preservation groups, the Coral Court Motel was demolished in 1995.