Royal Motel comes down on Harrison Avenue

Another Butte landmark in Butte, this one on Harrison Avenue, came down at the hands of construction crews in Butte on Wednesday afternoon as the once regal Royal Motel underwent demolition on South Harrison Avenue.

Remember the old Royal Motel?  Growing up in Butte, I never got to spend the night there, but the place always stood out because of its multiple buildings set across the site, each offering its own "cottage" style of motel, well before it became fashionable.  I even got to know the family who once owned the property, the late Dan O'Neill, Sr. and his lovely wife, the late Helen, whose youngest son, Damon, was a classmate of mine.  I remember him growing up in the residential unit.  Well, it wasn't a "unit", per se.  It was a beautiful family home for a big, proud Butte family.

I've lost touch with Damon and his family although his older brother, the late, great D.J. was my dentist for years before his untimely passing in the early 2000s.  The motel had ceased operating decades ago and has sat vacant for years.  I always wondered what would become of the place.

Although it's sad to see this landmark torn down, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for this stretch of Harrison Avenue that has seen incredible change over the last couple of decades.  The land is becoming more valuable as businesses head south on Harrison Avenue and if there's one thing that's for certain in Butte, change is certainly constant.