The City of Erick has been awarded an Oklahoma Route 66 Revitalization Grant from the Oklahoma Route 66 Commission, administered through the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. This grant will help restore the iconic “West Winds Motel” neon sign, bringing new life to a landmark that has long symbolized Erick’s place on the Mother Road.
This effort is made possible through collaboration with Bobby and Debbie Kemp and honors the vision of the motel’s former owner, Klaus Battenfeld, whose dream was to see the site restored. This project carries forward his passion and preserves the legacy he hoped to protect.
More than a preservation project, this restoration rekindles the glow of history while lighting the way toward a vibrant future for our community. Route 66 is not only central to Erick’s story but also woven into America’s identity as a symbol of freedom, adventure, and the open road.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and recently named one of Oklahoma’s Most Endangered Places by Preservation Oklahoma, the West Winds Motel is a piece of living history. Once restored, the neon sign will once again shine as a beacon of our past, a reminder of the days when Route 66 bustled with travelers connecting communities across the nation.
The sign was picked up Friday by contractors to begin restoration. They are hoping to have the project completed within the next 30 days.
