Rail Haven Motel
Rail Haven Motel is a motel listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Springfield, Missouri, founded in 1938. The complex features an L-shaped layout with multiple buildings including two nine-unit structures, a 16-unit building from 1950, and a pool house added in 1958, spread across about 4.2 acres with open grounds and outdoor spaces.
The motel was established in 1938 by two brothers, Elwyn and Lawrence Lippman, who developed inherited land once used as an orchard and built eight rooms in sandstone style. By the 1940s it had grown to more than two dozen units, and in 1951 it joined the Best Western group, expanding its reputation and network reach.
The name Rail Haven comes from the split-rail fence that once surrounded the property. The motel remains tied to American road-trip culture, representing a time when such places offered travelers a welcoming stop with both comfort and a sense of shared journey.
The motel sits at the corner of St. Louis Street and Glenstone Avenue with easy access to main roads and Route 66. The grounds feature open parking and a swimming pool, ideal for a break during warm Missouri days, with classic cars on display and vintage gas pumps adding to the roadside feel.
Elvis Presley reportedly stayed in room 409 in 1956 after finishing a show at the Shrine Mosque and leaving his hotel following a disagreement with band members. The room is preserved today as the Elvis Suite and features retro decor from the 1950s along with a distinctive pink Cadillac bed from 1957.
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