The Arrow Motel

Donna Reiner has written many articles over the years for the Arizona Republic and others about Phoenix history and memorials.  She is a regular contributor to our newsletter. This month, Donna tells us about the Arrow Motel.

For most of us driving along Grand Avenue in either direction, we notice the train tracks, lots of commercial buildings, and a scattering of motels/hotels, some derelict and some showing new life. Once a major highway to the west (Highways 60, 70 and 89), the businesses and motels catered to the automobile for many years. But it was not always that way.

In the early days of Phoenix, farmland lined the road once called the Phoenix-Glendale Highway. One of those farms was owned by Abraham Lincoln Andrews on the eastern side of the highway near what is now Encanto Boulevard. Better known as A.L. Andrews, he died in 1936 and his widow, Olive started to sell off part of their holdings. A particular parcel, now listed as 2262 Grand Avenue, was sold to Earl Zion in 1937.

Often in trying to establish dates, researchers rely on permits. But when a property was built outside the Phoenix city limits, finding a permit is often futile. And in this case, we suspect that this cute tourist court at 2262 Grand Avenue was built in 1937 with six units.

Not familiar with the term tourist court? It is what historians call small, one room units with a space between each unit for a car. A tourist court appealed to the traveler for its simplicity and convenience to a highway. And the new Arrow Motel fit the bill. Zion owned the land. Did he have this small motel built? Probably, but we cannot be sure. We do know that he sold the property to Joseph and Mary Castellano in 1944 and there were buildings on it.

Another mystery appears as documents indicate that the Castellanos lived at 2402 Grand Avenue at the Polly Auto Court which only appears in the Arizona Republic in 1944 and 1945. Were these two auto courts the same place as street numberings did change and neither address appears in the city directories at the time? Probably not.

In 1951, the Arrow Motel was listed in the Phoenix city directory at 2262 Grand Avenue. Yes….and Joseph Castellano is the owner. The pieces are beginning to fall into place. But, the Castellanos sell this small enterprise in July of 1951 to two couples: John McCarty and Oney Varbel and their respective wives, Ella and Fay. The 1961 historic postcard shows additional units constructed on the west side of the property and the spaces between the east units have been filled in. And, the new owners have renamed the property The Rainbow Motel.

So, what’s the big deal about this small tourist court? To be bold, it is a rare surviving example, in Phoenix, of this property type. And, it’s in great condition!! At the request of the owners, this property is a “member” of the Phoenix Historic Property Register. If you see some construction on the site, it will all be in accordance with historic guidelines.