Wigwam Motel

It was the last motel in Wigwam Village. It was built in the late 1940s by Frank Redford, who built the two original Wigwam Villages in Kentucky. Well. At 7, his design was below: a large central t-tube that served as an office, flanked by a semicircle of smaller guest cabin tubes. The wings of the cabin were 32 feet high, 20 feet in diameter, and built of wood and plaster. Frank originally built 11 of them, but as the distance increased on Route 66, he added eight more.

Frank Redford later fell ill and died at Wigwam Village Motel No. 7. That was in 1957, although reports of his death did not mention whether he was in an old-fashioned office or a cabin. Wigwam Village Motel #7 went through several successive owners and fell out of favor. Since the early 1990s it has been supplied with water beds; its premises could be rented by the hour and its advertising slogan was “Do it at the Wigwam”. As far as we know, Frank Redford didn’t haunt his former motel, although he could certainly forgive it. In an ironic twist, this Wigwam village was saved by Indians – specifically the Patel family, immigrants from India. In 2002, the Patels purchased the motel and began restoring Wigwam Village Motel #7 to its former glory. The water beds were thrown out; offending character removed. The Patels cleaned the grounds and cabins, restored the vintage tiles in the bathrooms, rebuilt the fireplaces and opened a kidney-shaped swimming pool. Wigwam Village Motel No. 7, now simply called the Wigwam Motel, once again became a destination for travelers on the Mother Road and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012, joining two other surviving Wigwam Village motels. Don’t forget to check out this place in Rialto too.

If you want to explore the weird side of the Rialto, come to the Wigwam Motel, a local landmark and oddity in the area. Located along historic Route 66, the motel is famous for having Native American teapots instead of traditional bedrooms. Even if you are not staying at the motel, it is an impressive and unusual sight, and many visitors flock here to take pictures of this iconic motel. If you decide to check in here, in addition to wings, you can expect fun features like outdoor grills and a pool. If you are ever in need of home renovation, click here.