50 Years Along the Way
 

With the completion of Interstate Highway 25 in 1957, plans to build a Best Western Motel at the I-25 and US 85-87 junctions north of Walsenburg were initiated by James and Barbara Wright and finished one year later. The completed motel complex had a total of 20,094 square feet with fourteen rooms and a restaurant. In 1964 an additional 20 rooms were added.

   Since its conception, to the best of their knowledge, there have been six owners. James and Barbara Wright sold the motel to John and Dorothy Carneal in 1976; and they, in turn, sold it to Creighton and Jean Cook in 1977. Harry and Mary Nelson bought the complex from the Cooks in January 1981. Gene Benine of Walsenburg worked eight years for the Nelsons as the motel manager and then Gene and his wife, Judy, bought the motel from the Nelsons in May of 1996. During their ownership, the Benines added two additional rooms in 2004. Shreeji, LLC purchased the Best Western Rambler from Gene and Judy Benine in July of 2005. Manager, Manish Patel, supervised the construction of a new, two-story, 24-room addition completed last October. The addition includes an indoor heated swimming pool, hot tub and exercise room. Off the lobby is a food court equipped to serve hot breakfast for guests. The Patels hope the Best Western Rambler Motel becomes a point of destination for people who visit and vacation in southeast Colorado and consider Walsenburg and the surrounding area as a place to visit often.