Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: novelty architecture

"I walked through an elephant. Lucy, Margate, New Jersey. National Landmark. 1881. 11253." An undated ticket stub from a tour of Lucy the Elephant , "a six-story elephant-shaped example of novelty architecture" and possibly "the oldest surviving roadside tourist attraction in America," according to Wikipedia.

"Wigwam Village No. 4, Orlando, Florida. On the Orange Blossom Trail. U.S. No. 441 and U.S. No. 17; U.S. No. 92. AAA." Printed on the back of this linen postcard: "The Wigwam Village. Orlando's 'largest and finest motel!' Located inside city limits only a few blocks from theatre and shopping district. Thirty-one modern teepees with accommodations for parties of 1, 2, 3, or 4 people. Modern grille, gift shop, and auto service on the grounds." Wikipedia reports that Wigwam Village No. 4 was built in 1948 and razed in 1974. A Vacation Lodge motel now occupies the site where teepees once stood. For views of a Wigwam Village located in Cave City, Kentucky, see Teepees and Trading Post at Wigwam Village Motel No. 2 and Braves Restroom at Wigwam Village Motel No. 2 :

Caption: "S. S. Grand View Point. A Steamer in the Allegany Mts. Elv. 2624 ft. 17 m. W. of Bedford, Pa. U.S. 30. 4-CEG-32." Signs and banners: "Grand View Point Hotel. Post Cards. Souvenirs. See 3 States and 7 Counties. Visitors Welcome. Free Telescope." "Restaurant. Rooms." "S.S. Grand View Point....Open for Business." This image of the famous Ship Hotel , which was a popular roadside attraction along the Lincoln Highway (U.S. Route 30) in western Pennsylvania until it burned to the ground in 2001, is a real photo postcard by Charles Elmer Gerkins (indicated by the initials "CEG" in the caption) that's dated April 1932 ("4-32"). In The Ship Hotel: A Grand View along the Lincoln Highway (Mechanicsburg, Pa.: Stackpole Books, 2010), author Brian Butko quotes a 1930s WPA guide to explain the reason that the building was shaped like a ship: "The S.S. Grand View Point Hotel was remodeled in 1931 to give the impression of an ocean liner, because the owner saw a resemblance between early morning mists rising from the valley and billowing ocean waves." After enlarging the image, I discovered that two of the banners on the building (including the one hanging on the railing just above "3 States") indicate that the "S.S. Grand View Point" is "Open for Business." Since the building was remodeled to look like a ship sometime in 1931 (the smokestacks, deck, and bow-shaped front of the building were added at that time), I wonder if this photo from April 1932 shows the building just after it reopened. See also two linen postcards that illustrate the 63-Mile View from the hotel and the Approach to the Hotel :

"Grand View Point Hotel. See 3 states and 7 counties. Pa., Md., W. Va, 63 mile view from Grand View--Ship Hotel on Lincoln Highway, U.S. 30, 17 miles west of Bedford, Pa., looking into 3 states and 7 counties, 80 miles east of Pittsburgh, Pa. 4A-H1905." Printed on back: "Distributed by H. Paulson, Grand View-Ship Hotel, Central City, Pa."

"Grand View Point Hotel. Approaching S.S. Grand View Point Hotel on the Lincoln Highway, 17 miles west of Bedford, Pa. Elevation 2,464 feet. 3A-H421." Printed on back: "Grand View Point Hotel at the most beautiful spot in U.S. Summit of Allegheny Mts., 17 miles west of Bedford, Pa., on Historic Lincoln Highway, overlooking 3 states and 7 counties. Elevation 2,464 feet. Distributed by H. Paulson, Grand View-Ship Hotel, Central City, Pa."

See also Braves Restroom at Wigwam Village Motel No. 2 . I bought these two small and somewhat blurry photos a couple of years ago. They were taken at one of the Wigwam Village Motels designed by Frank Redford, probably motel #2 in Cave City, Kentucky. In this photo (above), a Trading Post sign appears on the small building that's visible between the two teepees. The license plate on the car is 3EP16 but I was unable to determine which state issued the plate. I'm guessing that it was the photographer who left the car door open. The other photo (below) shows the Braves teepee, which was the men's restroom. (Thanks go to john4kc on Flickr for pointing out that the telegraph pole visible near the teepee in the background of this second photo suggests that these photos were probably taken at Wigwam Village Motel #2.)

See also Teepees and Trading Post at Wigwam Village Motel No. 2 . I bought these two small and somewhat blurry photos a couple of years ago. They were taken at one of the Wigwam Village Motels designed by Frank Redford, probably motel #2 in Cave City, Kentucky. (Thanks go to john4kc on Flickr for pointing out that the telegraph pole visible near the teepee in the background of this photo--see above--suggests that this was probably motel #2.) This photo shows the Braves teepee, which was the men's restroom. In the other photo , a Trading Post sign appears on the small building that's visible between the two teepees. The license plate on the car is 3EP16 but I was unable to determine which state issued the plate. I'm guessing that it was the photographer who left the car door open.