Welcome to Munger Moss Motel!
(Permanently Closed)
Your Home Away From Home On Route 66
In days gone by, if you had a long day traveling Route 66 there was not a more welcoming place to spend the night than Munger Moss Motel.
Everyone was getting tired and restless and sick of being stuck in a vehicle. The day would draw to an end, and you began thinking about where to stay the night. But where to stay? There’s no adventure, no history in staying at some big, soulless chain. Instead, you would spend the night (or the week) at Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, Missouri– what wonderful memories and stories you would bring home with you.
Historic Vintage Auto Court
Built in 1946, the Munger Moss Motel would serve the weary traveler. Travelers enjoyed the charm of one of the few ‘mom and pop’ motels on Route 66 in Lebanon, Missouri. It was owned and managed by Bob and Ramona Lehman since 1971. Complete with modern amenities and the great hospitality you’d expect. Why would you have stayed anywhere else? Many travels would come by to take pictures with the iconic Munger Moss Motel sign. Bob & Ramona loved having visitors from around the world!
Themed Rooms
Travelers from all across the U.S. as well as countries from around the world would try out one of the Route 66 themed rooms at Munger Moss Motel. Each one was personally decorated by Ramona herself. They even offered free Wi-Fi access in every room. So many people enjoyed staying there and have commented on how they miss Bob & Ramona and the Munger Moss Motel. What a shame it was for it to close permanently.
Munger Moss Motel History
The Munger Moss Motel began as a barbecue shop in Devil’s Elbow, Missouri, in the 1930s, and later moved to its location in Lebanon, Missouri, in 1945. Owners, Bob and Ramona Lehman, purchased the motel in 1971 and operated it until their deaths, making significant contributions to Route 66 tourism. The motel’s iconic neon sign was restored in 2010, and the City of Lebanon took over its conservation in 2025 after a new developer bought the property.
Original location: The “Munger Moss” name originated from a barbecue shop and sandwich shop opened by Nelle Munger and her husband, Emmett Moss, in Devil’s Elbow, Missouri, in the 1930s.
Move to Lebanon: When Route 66 was rerouted to a four-lane highway, the business was bypassed, and the owners, Pete and Jesse Hudson, moved the business to Lebanon. They opened a new restaurant and filling station in 1945 and added the first 14 cabins and garages to the Munger Moss Motel in 1946.
Expansion: The motel expanded in 1961, adding 26 more units.
New ownership: Bob and Ramona Lehman bought the motel in 1971 and ran it for over 50 years, becoming famous for their hospitality.
Ramona Lehman, who owned the Munger Moss with husband Bob from 1971 until her death in 2023, said the motel had 73 rooms when they bought it. After remodeling through the years, the Munger Moss had 44 rooms for overnight rentals and 17 two-room efficiencies for weekly rentals.
Later developments:
The motel’s iconic neon sign was restored in 2010 with a National Park Service grant.
Bob Lehman passed away in 2019. Ramona Lehman passed away in 2023. After her passing, the motel was sold to a developer.
In 2025, the City of Lebanon took over the conservation of the historic Munger Moss Motel neon sign. However, at the disappointment of many people around the world, the Munger Moss Motel remains closed permanently.
