Route 66 History: Alberta's Hotel in Springfield, Mo.

Missouri State University is working to keep the history of Route 66 alive in its special collections.

One set of photos from the Ora Logan Collection features Alberta's Hotel. The hotel sat in the 600 block of North Benton in Springfield. It became one of the only places serving African-Americans here in a segregated era.

It hosted famous celebrities including the Harlem Globetrotters and Nat King Cole. Alberta's had a beauty salon, barber shop and dining room in the 19-50's.

Alberta's closed in the mid 1960's. It's tough to find any trace of it any longer on North Benton.

Anyone can visit the Missouri State University Library, and Special Collections and Archives. The hours for Special Collections are: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00pm. It is closed for university holidays.