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Teepees: Wigwam Villages (page 3)

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Wigwam Village #4 [gone]
Orlando, FL
Only the first two Wigwam Villages were owned by Redford -- the others were independently owned and operated. There is no information available about Wigwam Village #3 which was built near New Orleans, LA.

Wigwam Village #4 was built in the early 1940s and touted as Orlando's largest and finest motel in its day. It was twice as big as the first two Villages with 31 teepees -- apparently the largest built. The rooms may also have been bigger as they advertised they could accommodate 1-4 people. This Village also had the standard gift shop and gas station. It was demolished in 1973 -- for a Days Inn. For more, see this website.

Wigwam Village #5 [gone]
Birmingham, AL
In 1941, Wigwam Village #5 was built on Bessemer Highway in Birmingham, AL. It is now gone and there is no other information available.

Wigwam Village #6
Holbrook, AZ
Wigwam Village #6 was built in 1950. Impressed with the Cave City Wigwam Village, Chester Lewis bought a set of plans and blueprints from Redford to build these 15 concrete teepees. In the early 1950s, the central teepee was replaced with a Texaco station. The motel closed in 1974. It reopened in 1988 and is still operating. The gas pumps have been removed and the building is now used as the motel office. Old cars are permanently parked in front of the teepees for a nostalgic touch. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For more about this Village, see these websites: 1 and 2.

Wigwam Village #7
Rialto, CA
Wigwam Village #7 in Rialto, CA is located on Route 66 and was the last one built in the chain. This one was built by Frank Redford in 1949 when he and his wife sold their Kentucky motels and moved to California. It originally had 11 teepees. The place was such a success that eight more teepees were added in 1953. Its sign and slogan "Sleep in a Wigwam, Get More for Your Wampum" was replaced with "Do It In a Tee Pee". The motel was nearly demolished before San Bernardino declared it a "potentially significant" part of historic Route 66. In 1998, it was sold to new owners who renovated it. In 2004, there was another change in ownership and the teepees were renovated again. The signage was changed and slogan revised to "Slept in a Teepee Lately?". The plastic sign was damaged sometime between 2006 and 2008 (see photos above). For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. [second photo thanks Glenda Campbell]

For more about Redford’s Wigwam Villages, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.

Wigwam Villages
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