Anthony Reichardt recently uploaded videos he shot during the early to mid-1990s at the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona, and Wigwam Motel in Rialto, California. Reichardt has uploaded dozens of videos from that era on his 1959 Cadillac on Route 66 channel. They hold a lot of historic value, as not a lot of videos … Continue reading A look at the Wigwam Motels almost 25 years ago
Here’s an obituary you don’t read every day — an Arizona woman who died earlier this month worked not for one, but two bona fide Route 66 icons during her lifetime. Dorthy “Dottie” Ann Hatch Hansen, 83, of St. Johns, Arizona, died Oct. 19. She was born in Pinedale, Arizona, but spent most of her … Continue reading Woman worked for two Route 66 icons in Arizona
World-famous songwriter and Nobel Prize laureate Bob Dylan three years ago painted a series of images that included more than a half-dozen images from Route 66 as part of his “The Beaten Path” series. The number of images from the Mother Road has increased. The Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, posted this image … Continue reading Bob Dylan adds more Route 66 images to his paintings
The Arizona Republic newspaper recently published several articles about the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona, and revealed details about the Route 66 landmark even longtime roadies may not know. It’s worth reading the articles in full, starting here. But a few things stood out, plus a couple of observations from me: — The motel closed … Continue reading Deep background on the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook
If you wondered whether famed pop-culture enthusiast Charles Phoenix included Route 66 attractions in his latest book, “Addicted to Americana” (180 pages, hardcover, illustrated, Prospect Park Books), all you have to do is glance at its cover. It contains an image of the Desert Hills Motel neon sign in Tulsa and a tepee from one … Continue reading Book review: Charles Phoenix’s “Addicted to Americana”
A suspected teenage drunken driver caused thousands of dollars in damage to the Wigwam Motel in San Bernardino, California, when his pickup truck veered off the road and destroyed the motel’s front fence, a light pole and other structures early Sunday morning. The crash happened about 3 a.m. The crash involving the pickup truck also damaged a … Continue reading Wayward pickup causes damage at Wigwam Motel
On Feb. 12, 1955, DeRoy and Rosemary Avila spent their first night as husband and wife at the Wigwam Motel in San Bernardino, California. On Sunday, the Avilas celebrated their upcoming 60th anniversary at the place where it started — the Route 66 landmark that’s changed little over the decades, reported the Inland Valley Daily … Continue reading Couple marks 60th anniversary at Wigwam Motel
Andrew McCrea of “American Countryside” takes in a visit to the Route 66 town of Holbrook, Arizona, and explores the links that inspired the fictional town of Radiator Springs in the 2006 Disney-Pixar movie “Cars.” The segment focuses on the Wigwam Motel and Joe & Aggie’s restaurant. Other sites and towns inspired the creation of … Continue reading “American Countryside” visits Holbrook
KABC, the major affiliate of ABC in Los Angeles, in recent days gave a lot of time examining Route 66 in the region in its “Eye on L.A.” show. Here is the San Bernardino to San Gabriel Valley segment: Monrovia to South Pasadena: The Arroyo Seco to downtown segment: West Hollywood to the end of … Continue reading Los Angeles station gives major time to Route 66
The Asian American Hotel Owners Association recently posted a feature about Kumar Patel, the operator of the historic Wigwam Motel in San Bernardino, California. Most stories focus on the motel, which was built along Route 66 in 1949 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. But this one focuses more about Patel himself. … Continue reading A profile of the Wigwam Motel’s Kumar Patel
