topic Re: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC in Community Chat

AN AMERICAN CLASSIC

Oznell — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 14:37:12 GMT

In vintage films, the characters when travelling, often are found at "motor courts", the forerunner to motels. They would be little freestanding cabins, as opposed to long blocks of attached rooms.

When Americans started crisscrossing the country as the twentieth century revved up, entrepreneurial farmers, among others, could manage a few cabins in unused fields, or someone would build them in the woods off of a busy road, and a new type of "hotel" was formed.

Salena Zito has written a nostalgic piece on "The Lincoln Motor Court" in Pennsylvania pictured above. It's the last surviving one on the Lincoln Highway, and each little cabin has its retro original pastel bathroom tile, paneled walls, etc. There are jaunty red and white metal awnings on the individual cabin porches, and matching metal chairs... so vintage.

Two films that feature auto courts come to mind-- isn't there a drenched reuniting of Lucy and Desi at one in "The Long, Long Trailer":

And of course, Clark and Claudette famously and uneasily, had to split one of these cabins down the middle in "It Happened One Night":

A fascinating piece of Americana that I hope can somehow "hang on" in the 21st century.

Re: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC

Oznell — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 16:37:43 GMT

It suddenly hit me-- how could I have forgotten "The Rainbow Cabins", the motor court where much of the action takes place among Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotten, Jean Peters and Casey Adams in noir classic, "Niagara"?!

Those epitomized retro cool:

Unfortunately, although they were on location in Niagara Falls, Ontario, they were mocked up by the studio-- fakes!

Very atmospheric ones, though.

During long cross-country summer trips with my parents, I usually pleaded for stays in the big motel chains that had pools, ha. But we did occasionally stay in a few motor courts. I'm thinking, maybe on the beautiful Nebraska prairie, and also in Arizona, where we were frequently headed.

They were neat because they were like a cozy little free- standing house-- and unlike in a more conventional motel, there could be windows on all sides. I remember one that had that, and a bathroom window that looked memorably out onto some mysterious and beautiful woods, winding up a hill...

Re: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC

patbz — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 16:52:58 GMT

I live in Northern Arizona and at least every couple of months we find we are driving through Holbrook AZ on our way to N.M. or CA. We get to go past the Wig Wam motor court, where I actually stayed during my first cross country trip the Summer of 1956. Its still open and they have 1950-60s vintage cars parked outside each Wig Wam.

Re: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC

godi — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 17:32:59 GMT

The Lincoln Motor Court is about an hour from my home. It still looks the same.

Re: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC

Oznell — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 19:36:33 GMT

Wow, @patbz , I wonder if we ever drove past the Wig Wam motor court during our many trips to Arizona. Sounds like fun, with the vintage cars parked outside...

Neat, @godi -- So glad it looks like it always did! The article said it's been there since about 1940, because couples who stayed there just before World War II have told the current owners about it. It's for sale now, as they are retiring-- hope somebody buys it and continues the tradition!

Re: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC

spiderw — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 19:42:18 GMT

In the late forties, early fifties my mother's aunt and husband settled at Canada when they immigrated from Slovakia as there was a quota system then in the US. They were able to invest in buying a motor court, .When their daughter was married we traveled by car to Canada and stayed at one of the cabins as the main house didn't have enough room. I was very young but remember being fascinated by the small compact cabin. To this day I do not remember anything about the wedding but the experience of being in a motor court in a cabin has never left me!! I loved it!

I have seen the movies mentioned and they bring me back to that time.

Re: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC

godi — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 22:39:06 GMT

At @Oznell the motor court is located on the Lincoln Highway. This highway has a cult following. They even opened a museum on the way to this place. They get a loyal following there. I hope the tradition continues also.

Re: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC

beach-mom — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 23:13:11 GMT

@Oznell - I think we have a place that could have been one of these motor courts about 30 minutes from us. There are about 8-10 cabins (lived in) set back near the edge of the woods. On the edge and in front sits a larger cabin that looks like the others. The complex is on a major four-way intersection. I've always been fascinated by it. There are no signs around, so I assume the cabins are owned by the occupants or another landlord, and not rented. I've never seen a for sale sign. I used to drive by there weekly at least. Maybe I'll take a trip up and pay more attention.

I love history and seeing vestiges of another time!

Re: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC

Oznell — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 01:48:58 GMT

I've really enjoyed your stories, @patbz , @godi , @spiderw , and @beach-mom !

By all means, @beach-mom , I hope you do your exploratory trip, and would love if you reported back to us! I love this kind of history too, and these little roadside cabins have such "mystique", as all of us on this thread have experienced. No wonder so many suspense films and mystery stories feature them....