Constructed 1936.
El Rancho Hotel was built in 1936 in an inspired ranch style fantasy by R. E. Griffith, the brother of film director D. W. Griffith. It was a popular home for dozens of Hollywood film stars who stayed there during Gallup’s heyday as a Western film location in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Some of the famous guests included Ronald Reagan, Jane Wyman, Spencer Tracy, Kirk Douglas, Kathryn Hepburn and John Wayne. The property fell into decline after the 1960s, but was purchased by local businessman Armand Ortega and rehabilitated in the 1980s. El Rancho Hotel remains one of the best preserved and well-known landmarks on historic Route 66 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
1000 E. Route 66 Gallup, NM 87301 | 505-863-9311
photo by Eduardo Martinez.
