Munger Moss Motel

1336 East Route 66, Lebanon, Missouri 65536
Phone: 417-532-3111

East < GO > West

The Munger Moss Motel was sold in October 2024. Ramona Lehman the long time, wonderfully welcoming, owner of the Munger Moss Motel passed away in 2023. She and her late husband Bob had owned and operated the motel since 1971. When we stayed here in 2012 & 2016 we were able to spend a few minutes visiting with Ramona who was glad to share some history as well as being a very gracious host.

The motel has been around since 1946 and the marvelous 1950s neon sign still beckons weary travelers. After the four lane Route 66 opened through Hookers Cut Pete & Jessie Hudson moved to Lebanon from Devil's Elbow where they had owned the Munger Moss Sandwich Shop and bought the Chicken Shanty Cafe and adjacent property. They changed the name of the cafe to the Munger Moss Barbecue.

They also started building a motel with several stucco double bungalow style cottages with a guest room on each end and garages in the middle. Over time the garages became more rooms and with even more additions the motel grew to include 85 rooms. It has fewer rooms now, so I'd guess some have been combined along the way. They also had a Phillips 66 Station.

In the late 1950s they added an office and a huge sign with a big yellow arrow. While the motel is on old Route 66 the taller "Motel" which was added after I-44 opened can be seen from the freeway which is just a bit behind the motel.

This is a fairly large motel. The pool can be seen behind the taller light pole in this photo.

Some rooms are themed to Route 66, this one is the Coral Court room, named after a (in)famous motel in St. Louis that has long ago been torn down. The walls in our room were lined with photos of the old Coral Court Motel.

You won't miss this great late 1950's neon sign at night. The main office is crammed with antique toy trucks that will brings smiles to young and old alike.

This billboard is located about 300 yards east of the motel on 66.

There are a bunch of mileage signs like similar to this at landmarks along Route 66. Most list malaise from or to places like Chicago or LA. Not this one! Oh sure, it lists places like that one one side, but on this side you get the Malaga from places like Honolulu, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Madrid, Auckland, Paris, Shanghai, Prague, and Mexico City.

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Vintage Advertising Highlights

MUNGER MOSS MOTEL
38 Air-conditioned, Steam-Heated Units.
With Television, Carpets and Tile Showers.
Lebanon, Missouri
Phone - 1300
Operated by Carl Hudson

MUNGER MOSS RESTAURANT AND
DINING ROOM
Air Conditioned and Background Music. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Phone: KE 2-**** - on City Route 66, East-Lebanon, Missouri.

NOTE: When this postcard was printed the motel consisted of several two unit cottages. The second postcard shows the cafe building in the early 1960 or a bit later, there's an early 60 Cadillac in the image.
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Photo(s): 2012, 2016