Resurrected by Gordon and Norma Sheplors as a retirement project, the Cactus Inn of McLean, Texas, breathed first life in the 1950's. Back then this 12-unit motel on the town's west side was owned by the Windom family and called the Westwind Motel. The later 1960's saw the motel's name changed to the Cactus Inn and the installation of the towering, saguaro-shaped road sign that became a local landmark.
By the time the Sheplors acquired the property, the 1990's had dawned. The Cactus Inn stood vacant and wanting a roof, and the famous saguaro sign needed refurbishing. "I told the Sheplors if they restored the motel, I would help restore the cactus," says preservationist Delbert Trew. "I nearly bit off more than I could chew. That cactus is 32 feet long. It weighs about six thousand pounds. I got it into my barn and fixed it."
With the towering saguaro reinstated, and the inn itself fitted with a new roof, attentions turned toward matters of decor. One of the most amusing features the Sheplors installed was a mock "Boot Hill" graveyard—complete with boots. The footwear were donated by area ranchers.
In May of 1998, McLean was hit with an early-morning windstorm packing an estimated 110-115 mile-per-hour punch. The Cactus Inn's saguaro sign buckled and fell. Although some sign repair work has since been completed, the cactus has yet to be erected. The Inn itself, however, remains open for business.
Photo © 1997 by Mock Turtle Press. All rights reserved.