By JENNIFER MOONSONG
Glasgow News 1
In the late 1930s and early 1940s, a very distinct motel chain referred to as Wigwam Villages came to be along America’s highways and byways. Originally there were seven. Today, only two remain and they serve as historic landmarks; Wigwam Village No. 2 in Cave City, Kentucky along the historic North Dixie Highway, and Wigwam Village No. 6 in Holbrook, Arizona. Village No. 2 may well be the most interesting place to stay in Barren County, and it has been an institution since it was built in 1937.
The Wigwams as they are called by locals were very popular until the 1970s. Through the ’40s and ’50s, family vacations by automobile were a great American pastime. The original 15 small wigwams, plus the big center wigwam complete with an outdoor playground was a family favorite for travelers,
The setup included a lunch counter and gas pumps, and made Eleanor Roosevelt’s newspaper column, when she wrote, “Imagine driving along a two lane country road when suddenly up ahead you see Wigwam Village’s white teepees and distinct neon sign — ‘Sleep And Eat In A Wigwam.'”
The lunch counter and gas station closed in the 1970s, and in the ’80s the big teepee served as a trunk shop and front desk.
In recent years, Wigwam Village No. 2 has been renovated, and updated with modern conveniences traveler’s seek. But even those not spending a night often stop by the village for a photo or to learn about the unique stop’s history, and more than eight decades of memories made for multiple generations of Kentuckians and travelers from afar.
In the early days the big wigwam was a restaurant, and gas pumps were out front. This was during the golden age of automobile travel.
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