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Benson's Tourist Court

2675 Old Route 66, St. Clair, MO
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Lewis J. Benson built Benson's Tourist City in 1937 and operated it for many years before selling the business in 1948. They started with just a cafe, filling station, 4 cabins and some trailer spaces. Trailer spots were 50 cents per night and cabins started at $1.00 with cold running water and some king of cooking stove, but no toilets in the cabins, just shared community toilets. It is located less than a mile west of the former Ozark Court Motel.

GPS: 38.303809,-91.081941

In his 1946 "Guide Book to Highway 66" Jack Rittenhouse described the business as "an elaborate establishment with cabins, cafe, gas, and trailer camp ..." By the time they sold the business in 1948 a for sale ad mentioned "16 modern cabins and cabin for living quarters, cafe and filling station on Highway 66. 55 miles west of St. Louis, can be bought on terms, Benson's Tourist City".

In early December 1948 Mr. & Mrs. Robert McGinnis bought the business and property. They eventually changed the name to the McGinnis Show-Me Tourist Courts. The McGinnis family moved on in 1955 and Lewis Benson regained ownership of the property.

In 1957 Lewis Benson sold the business and property to Ralph Delbruegge. Delbruegge renamed it the Del Crest Motel. They apparently tried to sell it 1962 but still owned the property into the 1990s after converting to non-tourist rental property. The gas station and cafe building are still standing, but private property now.

Photo(s): 2016