Vest Court

Route 66, Lebanon, MO
Phone:

East < GO > West

Vesta Court opened in 1937 with several cabins. In 1956 the Vesta Court was advertised as a Motor-Motel having 23 modern units, a restaurant, and a Texaco gas station. It also featured air conditioning and steam heat. The cafe stood on the old concrete slab on the right side of the photo. The gas station was about where the fence ends next to the drive. The cabins followed the gravel drive as it arched east from the cafe and curved back to the highway. Over the years signs on the cafe promoted "Modern Cabins & Trailer Camp".

It is located a couple of miles east of Lebanon on old 66.

GPS: 37.718105, -92.610408

In the 1956 sale ad the owner at the time was listed as Clayton Lein who sold the property in July of 1957 to Forrest "Tiny" & Marie Luper. They promptly changed the name from the Vesta Court to the El Ranch Motel. Sadly Mr. Luper passed away only a few weeks after they bought the business. It later became a mobile home park. In 1956 you could rent a single room for $5.00 without a TV, $6.00 with one.

By the early 1950s the entrance sign that arched over the drive was mounted on top of the two concrete bases shown on the edges of the photo above. Before that the sign, or one like it, was located on the east side of the cafe site.

The sign arch from Vesta Court that used to stand on the two sign bases in the top photo can be seen on the west end of town at Jones Auto & Truck Plaza located on W Elm St. (Where Elm St. becomes Hwy. W (I-44, exit 127).

Sign GPS: 37.650031, -92.669571

The sign hanging on the right post was not part of the original sign at the Vesta. While it was at the Vesta Court the entire Arch was filled from side to side with large capital letters that spelled E N T R A N C E and flags flew from flag poles on top of the sign support poles on both sides.

These were pretty sturdy sign bases compared to those on the east side of the cafe, which may also be there.

The foundation of the cafe is still there, this is part of the east side retaining wall which was a few feet from the cafe.

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Vintage Advertising Highlights

(Front of card)
Beautiful Vesta Court
In the Heart of the Ozarks
Hwy. 66, 4 Mi. E. Lebanon, Mo.

(Back of card)
Welcome to
BEAUTIFUL VESTA COURT
In the heart of the Ozarks. Ultra modern cabins and cafe, steam heat. Texaco gas. Very good water from 571 foot well. On U.S. Highway 66, 4 miles east of Lebanon, Mo.

NOTE: 4 miles east of Lebanon would have put the Vest Court close to the Space Station Cafe.
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Photo(s): 2018