Cactus Inn Motel

The Cactus Inn Motel was originally the 1950s West Wind Motel built by E.J. and Grace Windom on the west end of McClean. The Windom's sold the motel in the mid-1960s after which it became the Cactus Inn. The Windoms then built the Windy Inn Motel in Alanreed The sign shown here is at least the third to stand in this location. Of the vintage motels in McLean this is the only one still welcoming overnight guests.

The large cactus shaped sign is hard to miss, but it stands in an otherwise empty lot used for truck and RV parking across the street from the motel. It used to stand next to the motel where the modern sign is now, but in 1998 it blew down and was heavily damaged in a storm. I'm not sure if this is the repaired original Cactus or a replica.

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Vintage Advertising Highlights

WEST WIND MOTEL
U.S. 66 and Interstate 40 - Phone GR 9-****
Box 201, McLean, Texas
Located in the heart of cattle, oil and ranching area of Texas.
Television - wall to wall carpet - refrigerated air - panel ray heat.
Good restaurant near by.
E. J. & Grace Windom,
Owners and Managers.".

WEST WIND MOTEL
U.S. 66 and Interstate 40
Phone GR 9-****
Box 201, McLean, Texas
Located in the heart of cattle, oil and ranching area of Texas.
Television - Wall to wall carpet - refrigerated air - panel ray heat. Good restaurants near by.
E. J. & Grace Windom,
Owners and Managers.".

NOTE: These two postcards have almost identical text on the back. The phone number changed, but that's about all. They also show different signs, both using the West Winds name. The first postcard (1959) shows the original sign for the motel. The cactus shown on second postcard was outlined in neon. It seems odd that they changed the sign to a Cactus but not the motel name.
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Photo(s): 2012