Vernelle's was built by EP Gasser in the late 1930s. Originally called Gasser Tourist Court, the business - consisting of six rooms, a gas station and a novelty shop - changed hands in the early 1950s when EP Gasser's nephew Fred and his wife Vernelle bought and expanded the property.
The new Vernelle's, named after its owner, was quite complex. In addition to the motel, the property included - as pictured on the vintage postcard above - a restaurant serving steaks, fried chicken, shrimp, and other delicacies to refresh hungry travelers. At one time there was also a petting zoo on the premises.
In 1957, the restaurant was demolished and the motel was moved a few yards north to accommodate Route 66's widening to four lanes. The motel is still pretty run down and no longer in use.