A Beleaguered County Seat, part 2

 In the days before Interstate highways, Lordsburg was a humming place because it lay at the junction of two major highways, which enticed travelers to stop and spend their money because of the distance to the next sizable town. In its heyday, Lordsburg had  21 motels, 20 cafes or formal restaurants 31 gas stations. Nearly all of these business establishments were located along U.S. Highway 80, which parallels the railroad tracks on the south side. In town, Highway 80 was once known as First Street, but, in later years, the name was changed to Motel Drive, the name it goes by today. I think First Street is a much better name.  A few of these businesses were located along U.S. Highway 70, but Highway 80 was the place to be in Lordsburg. In addition to all of the motels, restaurants and gas stations, First Street, a.k.a. Motel Drive, was lined with gift shops, car garages, automobile dealerships and anything else you can think of. Today, Motel Drive has been called a "motel ghost town" by some people, a vision of a post-apocalyptic world by others.
  In September of 2009, my most recent trip to Lordsburg, I spent the night on the far west end of Lordsburg at a national chain motel near its junction with Interstate 10.While I was there, I drove up and down Motel Drive several times and counted 12 abandoned motels, 22 abandoned gas stations and 14 deserted restaurants or cafes. Other businesses of this type used to exist also, but have long since been demolished, as testified by the numerous concrete slabs or foundations that line the street. Motel Drive was recently listed as one of "America's Most Endangered Places." There are only three operating motels on the street today and I don't remember how many gas stations, but no more than 3 or 4. The only operating restaurants on the street today are at truck stops on the east side of town.
  Motel Drive is no longer the busiest street in Lordsburg. In fact, it is very under utilized in the present day. It is a very wide street with very little traffic. The busiest street in Lordsburg today is South Main Street, which is part of a short state highway (494) that dead ends at the entrance to a ghost town 3 miles south of Lordsburg. South Main Street's exit with Interstate 10 is the hub of Lordsburg today. This is where most of the motels and other travel related business are clustered today. In total, Lordsburg today has 11 motels, 7 gas stations and 14 cafes or restaurants. Most of the eating establishments are either fast food places or are affiliated with motels or truck stops.
  When it was announced that Interstate 10 would be built through the south side of Lordsburg, the state offered to elevate the freeway through town so travelers could look down and see the town and be more willing to stop there and patronize the businesses. This tactic did not work, however, because Lordsburg has fallen on very hard times since the freeway opened up.
  At the same time, the businesses that are clustered next to the freeway are the town's major economic engine and have, in a way, prevented the town from dying off even more than it has. In fact, when I was there late last summer, I saw a Hampton Inn & Suites under construction. Seeing that surprised me and it might be a good sign for the struggling town.