the wigwam motel in holbrook, arizona

The Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona, adjacent to the old Route 66, was built in 1950 by Chester Lewis, an Arizona motel owner, after he visited Frank A. Redford’s Wigwam Village in Cave City, Kentucky. It is one of seven wigwam villages built from the 1930s to the 1950s from Florida to California. Its concrete wigwams are actual hotel rooms, and the parking lot is seeded with vintage cars.

The Wigwam Motel was closed in 1982 and Chester Lewis died in 1986.  Two years later, his widow and children restored and reopened 15 rooms.  Since May 2, 2002, it has been on the National Register of Historic Places.

I love nostalgic American places such as this because they remind me of my childhood growing up in the 1950s-1970s. It seems nostalgia buffs come here to Holbrook to visit this place from all over the country.

During my trip here in May, I didn’t stay in this hotel, as I didn’t even know about it until the ranger at Petrified Forest National Park told me about it. I had so much fun walking around the parking lot taking photos of the wigwams and the vintage cars.  Two women were sitting on chairs outside one of the rooms and when I exclaimed how cute it was, they let me take a look inside their room.  It was very small, but staying here must certainly be an experience to remember.

I stayed down the road at Brad’s Desert Inn, which was cute in its own right.

 

* Monday, May 14, 2018 *

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“PHOTOGRAPHY” INVITATION:  I invite you to create a photography intention and then create a blog post for a place you have visited. Alternately, you can post a thematic post about a place, photos of whatever you discovered that set your heart afire. You can also do a thematic post of something you have found throughout all your travels: churches, doors, people reading, people hiking, mountains, patterns, all black & white, whatever!

You probably have your own ideas about this, but in case you’d like some ideas, you can visit my page: photography inspiration.

I challenge you to post no more than 20 photos (fewer is better) and to write less than 350-400 words about any travel-related photography intention you set for yourself. Include the link in the comments below by Wednesday, December 5 at 1:00 p.m. EST.  When I write my post in response to this challenge on Thursday, December 6, I’ll include your links in that post.

This will be an ongoing invitation, every first and third (& 5th, if there is one) Thursday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂

I hope you’ll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!

the ~ wander.essence ~ community

I invite you all to settle in and read a few posts from our wandering community.  I promise, you’ll be inspired!

• Jude, of Travel Words, shows us some street art from Little Italy in San Diego.
  • Little Italy: Part Two

Thanks to all of you who shared posts on the “photography” invitation. 🙂