Wigwam Motel in Arizona Preserves Route 66 History with Unique Accommodations
The Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona, continues to operate, offering travelers a stay in concrete teepees, thereby preserving a piece of U.S. Highway 66 history. Built in 1926, Route 66, known as 'the Mother Road,' connected Chicago to Los Angeles and served as a vital corridor during the Great Depression and World War Two, later symbolizing freedom for post-war families. As the interstate system expanded, it gradually replaced Route 66, leading to the decline of many roadside businesses. However, the Wigwam Motel, which opened in May 1950, has managed to remain operational. The motel features 15 concrete and steel teepees, each 30 feet tall, designed in a 1950s style. The family-owned business, started by Clifton Lewis's father in 1946, closed for a period after I-40 bypassed Route 66 in the late 1970s but was reopened by the family in the 1980s. A stay in one of these teepees costs approximately $120 per night in 2026, a significant increase from the $4 to $6 charged when it first opened.
