During the heyday of Route 66 from the 1930s to the 50s, local families rather than motel chains operated small campgrounds, cabins, and motor courts. The Paulsen-Strufe Motel, built in 1935, served not only as a place for travelers to stay but also as a family home and an integral part of the community. It began in 1935 as a gas station owned by Danish immigrants Marlin and Metha Paulsen, who built five cabins with carports and called it Paulsen Court. In 1952, John and Dorothy Strufe bought the business and named it the Strufe Motel, then after remodeling and enclosing the carports in 1959, renamed it the Arrow Motel. The Paulsen and Strufe children grew up there, and operating the motel was a family affair that included washing and hanging sheets, pumping gas, and sharing in the daily work. The families also named rooms after female family members, such as Rita, Peggy, and Carol, so repeat travelers could remember which “girl” they had stayed with on an earlier trip.