That man in the picture is Pete Domenici who served six terms as a United States Senator from New Mexico, from 1973 to 2009, the longest tenure in the state's history.
So awesome. I didn't even know this place excited until I saw this video. I did however yell at my mom midway through because we drove on I-40 and stopped in Gallup, NM to eat on our way to Las Vegas, Nevada from Pennsylvania in November 2014 to avoid a snow storm that was coming through I-80. if I would have known I would have made it a point to stop just for pictures and to see the celebrity pictures inside. Thanks for sharing this historic spot.
Wow!! So much history! I love how they named the rooms after actors. And at the pool you can hear that American train horn I love that sound! Such a beautiful hotel awesome :)
I think a big part of a hotels success is overall atmosphere the El Rancho Hotel gets 4 stars in my book! You guys always find the true gems! Thanks for another fabulous Dan & Will hotel tour!
Hey Dan and Will, Thanks so much for taking me back in time. My late husband and I stayed at the El Rancho about 15-20 years ago. I remember thinking Gallup seems like the crossroads of every railroad in the country. Trains running all night long. You guys make great historic videos. Please keep up the great work!
I'm originally from Gallup and i've been to the El Rancho a million times. Really cool video and nice to see someone appreciate something from my hometown!
Thinking of staying here on my next road trip. The movie “Bottom of The World” was filmed here and it looked pretty striking. I heard that Sir Paul McCartney stayed in the presidential suite. I might just have to stay there! I absolutely love The Beatles it would be quite the experience to stay in the room Paul himself stayed in!!
Nothing like walking into the lobby in December with a roaring fire in the fireplace! Don't forget to eat in the restaurant there. Some of the best food in Gallup!
Dan, have you been to the House on the Rock in Wisconsin? I think you'd love it, and I am so curious to see the footage you'd get with your style of filming. Please, please look it up if you don't know about it.
Very cool hotel!!! I wonder if the rooms with actor's names above them are decorated uniquely to the star or all the same? Did you eat at the restaurant? Looked like lots of people were enjoying it. I'd love to stay there.
Wow, what a beautiful place. Did they have a Lucille Ball room? I would go there just for that, although you're right that signature is a bit questionable. Thanks again Dan
Deb from Idaho~~~~~Always heard that Gallup was known as the drunk capital of NM! My second husband was from Roswell, NM. We visited and it is one strange little town!! February is my birthday month also!
Armand Ortega bought the El Rancho in the early 80's when the property went into bankruptcy. He paid $500,000 to buy and another $500,000 to restore the property. Mr. Ortega was a business man from childhood. Selling newspapers at the age of ten to running a shoe shine business in his teens that employed ten other young men. He was a great promoter of Native American art, jewelry, and artifacts. He passed away in 2014 and his daughter now operates the hotel.
The few autographs I can find which read "Lucille Ball" don't look like that. But she usually signed "Love Lucy," and those signatures were much more loopy and open.
I lived near Gallup for 11 years and for a while, a friend and I would meet in the lobby of El Rancho on Friday nights to have a drink. Of course, this was long past the day when the movies were shot in the area. The restaurant was so-so, the rooms were small, nothing fancy but seemed fine. Love your videos of Baltimore-- had no idea you'd been through Gallup. I did not like Gallup when I first moved into the environs, but it grew on me the more I explored the city and the area.
I love this video. Great job showing so much detail that I've had trouble finding, otherwise! I'm all the way in South Carolina but I'm dying to visit this spot! I've been intrigued by it for years. Thanks for posting!
growing up, my moms work used to have Christmas dinner parties here. really is a gorgeous place, I remember running up the staircase and playing in the bathroom haha :)
"Hi" Dan Bell, Cool Video... Are you traveling out West? ... I stayed over just 4 nights ago myself in Gallup. But, not there at El Rancho, (person I was with wasn't interested).. So, Thank You for the quick tour. I was wondering what it looked like inside... Maybe, next time. c:
The guy you asked if anyone knew who he was...It was Pete Domenici... he was a long time senator here in New Mexico... very influential name around here!
Do you plan on checking any other places out in the area? There are soooo many places to explore and there certainly isn't a shortage of kind of spooky or really spooky places to check out!
Love the video!!! As a HUGE I Love Lucy, and Lucille Ball fan, I do not think that's her real signature. However, that is not to doubt that she has been there in the past. I would LOVE to visit this Motel. It is simply stunning.
As far as the authenticity of the Ball signature. Just from looking at the other photos in the video it's odd that everyone signed in what looked like a black sharpie and all looked new. none were faded or used blue or other colors. Often times in those days they signed with a ballpoint pen.
1:59 Well a few things have changed. The plants and the CRTs are gone and they have added some dead animal heads. Otherwise it does look remarkably frozen in time.
@ 3:34...lmao!!!! Nice Peter Graves reference! What a legitimately awesome old hotel. I love architecture that combines Southwestern accents with Spanish Colonial and Mission Revival architecture. Great stuff! Dan, you should pay a visit to the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel in Death Valley Junction, Death Valley, Nevada. I am sure you have already heard of it, but I would kill to watch you review that piece of historical awesomeness! Keep up the excellent work, my friend!
I never met him, but have always liked his work, especially in the movie Picnic, with Kim Novak and his episodes in the I Love Lucy show. He was a great actor and hottie.
normally don't watch the film it channel but until there is more added to the dead mall series or hotel series in the main channel might as well watch something
Thank you for yet another great video! That motel/hotel is simp breath taking! If I ever come to the US and I am in the area I would love to stay there! There is so much about the motel that I love, like the rooms named after the famous people who stayed there and people taping a signed dollar to the walls! So cool! BTW Dan, why didn't you film it when you and Will taped yours up? That would be a great ending!
