Wigwam Motel
- Payton Heyman
- Jan 29, 2018
- 2 min read
Though Wigwam Motel is not the legitimate location, it was the inspiration for the Cozy Cone Motel in the animated film Cars (2006)!
The first Wigwam Motel dates back to the early 1930s, where Frank Redford invented and built the landmark in Horse Cave, Kentucky. There were seven motels built, but unfortunately four have them have deteriorated over time and were issued to be bulldozed by city officials. The one in Horse Cave was razed in 1982.
The one I visited was in Holbrook, Arizona. This Wigwam Motel was built by Chester E. Lewis in 1950 on the historic Route 66. Since his death, his sons took over the business and continue to run and maintain it today. It was even listed in the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 2002; therefore, it is protected and cannot be destroyed.
The actual motel is technically a square, with 15 individual wigwams made of concrete and steel. Each one is labeled one through sixteen, as there is no number thirteen.
Each wigwam contains a small bathroom with a sink, toilet, and shower, and the current rooms contain the original, but restored, furniture. This includes two double beds, cable TV, and a window-mounted air conditioner. In addition, the owners intend to keep with the authenticity of how they were originally made. There were no telephones, internet access, nor ice machines.
There are also vintage automobiles spread around the landmark to fit the authentic feel. Most of which are from the 1960s and even earlier.
Unfortunately, Radiator Springs is a fictional town, but makers of the Pixar film did in depth research to find a plethora of interesting locations to transform into the animated Cars version. Examples aside from Wigwam Motel include Ramone's Body Art Shop, which was directly inspired by the U-Drop Inn in Shamrock Texas; the mountainous rock that overlooks Radiator Springs was inspired by the Tucumcari Mountain; and many bridges inspired the bridge where McQueen sees Sally, including the Cyrus Avery Route 66 Memorial Bridge, the Colorado Street Bridge, and the now closed bridge over Diablo Canyon.
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