Getting Our Kicks on Route 66 (Again)

U.S. Highway 66 -- popularly known as Route 66 or the Mother Road -- holds a special place in American consciousness and evokes images of simpler times, mom and pop businesses, and the icons of a mobile nation on the road. It is significant as the nation’s first all-weather highway, linking Chicago to Los Angeles. And conveniently for us, it passes right through San Bernardino, where we just happened to be.

When we saw the path our day was taking us, we knew we had to stop and ogle Wigwam Village #7.

Constructed in 1949, and one of only three remaining in use today, the Wigwam Village/Motel is one of the last iconic wigwam villages built by Frank Redford.

Redford began constructing these tipi-shaped rooms in 1933. He was inspired to create the villages from his collection of Native American artwork and artifacts. He also gained inspiration from the design of an ice cream shop he visited in Long Beach, California.

At one point, seven of these unique locations existed. As of 2021, the only facilities that remain are located in Holbrook, Arizona (been there), Cave City, Kentucky (on our list), and this one in San Bernardino/Rialto. The motel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.

This property has 19 structures, which stand about 32 feet high and are designed in the motor court style, with parking right outside the door. Each is made of concrete and stucco. Despite the name, they don’t actually resemble wigwams, which are round, domed shelters used by a number of northeastern Native American tribes. The motel’s structures are modeled after tipis, tall conical tents that are traditionally used by Indigenous people of the Great Plains. They are a popular, and sometimes co-opted, symbol of Native identity.

This property has been restored and offers four room types. While it is a retro location, it does have many modern amenities such as wifi and electronic door locks. There is a motel office on site which is open 24 hours and a small, but well-maintained gift shop inside that offers a variety of Wigwam Motel and Route 66 souvenirs (run by a very nice guy). There is also a swimming pool on the property. If I needed to stay in town, I would choose the Wigwam, in a heartbeat.

Okay, how cool is this? We just had to visit this caged tree.

"NO. 20 PARENT WASHINGTON NAVEL ORANGE TREE – The tree was introduced into the United States from Bahia, Brazil, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1870. Twelve young trees were received and buds from them were propagated on sweet orange seedlings. In 1873, two of these greenhouse-grown trees, which were distributed throughout the United States, were sent to Mrs. Eliza Tibbets in Riverside."

"One of the two original trees from which all Washington Navel oranges in California have descended..."

The Washington refers to D.C. by the way. Such amazing history, right on a street corner.

Next stop was at Mountainview Cemetery, a 65-acre cemetery established in 1907. There are more than 80,000 interments and entombments with the scenic San Bernardino property.

We came to pay our respects to Randy Rhoads, rock musician and guitar prodigy.

Randy played in an early version of the successful 1980s heavy metal band Quiet Riot and was the original guitarist for heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne's solo band.

Carved beneath the guitar line art: "An inspiration for all young people." And a cautionary tale for young bands who would have their plane and tour bus interact.

Rhoads died on March 19, 1982. He was aboard a small plane that managed to buzz the tour bus and snoozing band members twice, with no mishap. On the third attempt, the plane clipped the bus and crashed into a fiery ball, with all three occupants not surviving. It was all the pilot's fault, a preventable tragedy which ended Randy's life at age 25. Such potential lost forever. So sad.

Last was a visit to the grave of James Cooksey Earp, a lesser-known older brother of Old West lawman Virgil Earp and lawman/gambler Wyatt Earp. Unlike his brothers, he was a saloonkeeper and was not present at the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881.

When his brother Morgan was assassinated in 1882, James traveled with Virgil and the Earp family to Colton, California. Around 1884, he was mining in Shoshone County, Idaho before relocating permanently in California, in 1890. He died of natural causes in San Bernardino in 1926.

What a diverse day of history! Oh man, I do love a road adventure even one that only takes us 100 miles round trip!

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2 comments:

dasboo said...: Last month we stopped in Seligman,AZ which is on Route 66. Interesting stop-old cars, signs.; December 19, 2021 at 6:15 PM
Denise said...: What a fun stop that would have been! U.S. history abounds. Finding it is the highlight of the road trip for me. Fun.; December 20, 2021 at 11:42 AM

HAERR TRIPPIN'

Getting Our Kicks on Route 66 (Again)

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