The Teepee Motel looks like a row of rocket nose cones lined up in a field on the northern outskirts of Wharton. The one-room, concrete structures are actually throwbacks to the Forties and Fifties when America’s love affair with the automobile was young.
Although the sand-colored, conical buildings have the same look, they were never a part of the iconic Wigwam Motel franchise that had seven locations across the county before World War II. George and Toppie Belcher opened the locally owned and designed motel in 1942, and it thrived until driving habits changed and big-box chain hotels arrived in the Eighties.
The concrete teepees sat empty on the edge of town until Barbara and Bryon Woods reopened the motel in 2006 with a fresh coat of paint and modern conveniences. It was a two-year and $1.6 million project for the Woodses. Bryon, a former diesel mechanic, could afford the investment after winning $49 million in the Texas lottery in 2003.
The Teepee Motel in Wharton is simple, but comfortable. Each room comes with air-conditioning, WiFi, satellite TV, and its own barbecue grill. There also are RV slots available. The rooms rent for an affordable $67 per night. To make reservations, call 979/282-8474. The last remaining Wigwam Motels are in Holbrook, Ariz.; Realto, Calif.; and Cave City, Ky.
1,077th in a series. Collect them all. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of “Day Trips,” is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.
This article appears in March 16 • 2012.
