Wagon Wheel Motel: A Nebraska Roadside Icon
The Wagon Wheel Motel, located at 2301 Central Avenue in Omaha, Nebraska, is a quintessential roadside attraction in the heart of America's heartland. While not an operating motel today, this relic of the state's motoring past stands as a testament to a bygone era of American travel. Established in the early 1950s, the Wagon Wheel Motel initially catered to travelers on the fabled Lincoln Highway, the nation's first transcontinental highway stretching approximately 3,400 miles from Times Square in New York to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, passing directly through the city of Omaha.
As automotive travel became increasingly popular across the country, roadside attractions like the Wagon Wheel Motel emerged to cater to weary travelers seeking lodging, sustenance, and rest. Characterized by its vintage signpost featuring a multi-spoked wheel, the motel stood out among other area accommodations. This peculiar architectural element not only signified the business, but it also embodied the post-war enthusiasm for automotive exploration, highlighting America's love of the open road.
While a considerable number of similar roadside establishments have been lost to the passage of time, various notable preservation efforts are underway to safeguard this piece of American heritage. Although the Wagon Wheel Motel is not an active lodging facility, its original structure and characteristic facade have been preserved through restoration projects spearheaded by local organizations in order to promote public awareness and appreciation of Omaha's unique roadside attractions.
Just as travel volumes swelled throughout the development of Lincoln Highway, so too did an array of other sites catering to road-weary travelers seeking anything from essential maintenance for their vehicles to recreational activities such as hunting and fishing. Some have documented that notable restaurants such as King Fong and Bohemian Cafe also operated in the vicinity, providing eatery options for both locals and the vast amount of travelers traversing the key highway. These unique spots embody yet another piece of roadside Americana, which have captured the nation's hearts since the dawn of travel culture.
Among a plethora of other fascinating aspects associated with roadside travel through Nebraska, Nebraska's National Historic Landmark – the actual Union Station, now known as the Durham Museum – also retains an essential value within the history of American travel. The Durham Museum became famous as a celebrated site showcasing a piece of profound art work along with an array of enthralling displays, and provides exhibits not limited to historical locomotives and agricultural tractors, which illustrate life throughout the decades.
Being known for taking extensive, high-road journeys have often raised queries in minds towards such legendary automobile paths, among a host of nostalgic icons – particularly along that west-north roadside stretch headed straight towards Eugene of the Central Plains heartlands of New America – or to a lesser degree – to visit such points of attractions such as the Wagon Wheel Motel.
While those once familiar sounds coming from different regional vehicles emanating a rich ambiance from deep road avenues continue, to live a hidden life in regional myths across these States, the road remains relatively alive when finding unique attractions to dive into – these lost, and lingering world road relics do tell of life living in its times on travels headed towards destinations people were just thinking about on today's real America post it times.
Establishments like the Wagon Wheel Motel undoubtedly showcase cherished testimonials from America's thriving history of car culture that thrived during 1950s to early part of 1960s decade primarily.
As automotive travel became increasingly popular across the country, roadside attractions like the Wagon Wheel Motel emerged to cater to weary travelers seeking lodging, sustenance, and rest. Characterized by its vintage signpost featuring a multi-spoked wheel, the motel stood out among other area accommodations. This peculiar architectural element not only signified the business, but it also embodied the post-war enthusiasm for automotive exploration, highlighting America's love of the open road.
While a considerable number of similar roadside establishments have been lost to the passage of time, various notable preservation efforts are underway to safeguard this piece of American heritage. Although the Wagon Wheel Motel is not an active lodging facility, its original structure and characteristic facade have been preserved through restoration projects spearheaded by local organizations in order to promote public awareness and appreciation of Omaha's unique roadside attractions.
Just as travel volumes swelled throughout the development of Lincoln Highway, so too did an array of other sites catering to road-weary travelers seeking anything from essential maintenance for their vehicles to recreational activities such as hunting and fishing. Some have documented that notable restaurants such as King Fong and Bohemian Cafe also operated in the vicinity, providing eatery options for both locals and the vast amount of travelers traversing the key highway. These unique spots embody yet another piece of roadside Americana, which have captured the nation's hearts since the dawn of travel culture.
Among a plethora of other fascinating aspects associated with roadside travel through Nebraska, Nebraska's National Historic Landmark – the actual Union Station, now known as the Durham Museum – also retains an essential value within the history of American travel. The Durham Museum became famous as a celebrated site showcasing a piece of profound art work along with an array of enthralling displays, and provides exhibits not limited to historical locomotives and agricultural tractors, which illustrate life throughout the decades.
Being known for taking extensive, high-road journeys have often raised queries in minds towards such legendary automobile paths, among a host of nostalgic icons – particularly along that west-north roadside stretch headed straight towards Eugene of the Central Plains heartlands of New America – or to a lesser degree – to visit such points of attractions such as the Wagon Wheel Motel.
While those once familiar sounds coming from different regional vehicles emanating a rich ambiance from deep road avenues continue, to live a hidden life in regional myths across these States, the road remains relatively alive when finding unique attractions to dive into – these lost, and lingering world road relics do tell of life living in its times on travels headed towards destinations people were just thinking about on today's real America post it times.
Establishments like the Wagon Wheel Motel undoubtedly showcase cherished testimonials from America's thriving history of car culture that thrived during 1950s to early part of 1960s decade primarily.
