Editing Luke

Aug 4, 2015

El Rancho Motel in Barstow | Route 66

Cruising along Route 66 in Southern California, I stopped to explore some of the historic motels in Barstow. The standout, with its massive towering neon sign, was the El Rancho Motor Motel. Built in the 1940s with bungalow style rooms that wrap around the lot, this motel is exactly the kind of character property that I hoped to find along the Mother Road.

el rancho motel barstow california route 66

To be honest, I'm not sure if the location was open, closed, or in renovation. It seemed like a few people were living on the property, however the second half of the motel was completely vacant and the rooms didn't have anything in them. While I was there it didn't appear to be functioning as a motel, but I couldn't find any updates. In any case, it's a really fascinating location and I hope someone is looking out for its future.

Traveling in style in this big ol' Jaguar.

Aug 3, 2015

Hutchinson Block Renovation in Medicine Hat

Formerly the home of Hutchings and Sharp, the Hutchinson Block sat vacant in downtown Medicine Hat, Alberta for years. I captured images of the abandoned space back in 2013 before there were any signs that the building would be renovated. However, that all changed in the last year. The main space was completely overhauled, and the upstairs is now in progress.

I also captured images of the grand opening event at the Hutchinson Block, and ghosted a few of the images I shot in 2013 with the completed 2015 interiors. You can also see a bit of the work in progress in these images I shot last year. The space is a beautiful mix of old and new with the original ceiling and hardwood floors having been restored.

The brands and Charlie the horse that used to call Hutchings and Sharp home were donated to the Stampede. For the time being I think the building is going to be used as an event space for parties and functions - although that could change. I can't wait to see what's next for this amazing downtown building.