Sometimes things are not what they seem. The KC Matchgirl was intrigued by this matchbook for The KOCHI Motel.
The large Chinatown font gives the impression that perhaps this motel
has an Asian architectural element and how unique would that be? At
least in Yankton, South Dakota?
And just revel in the postcard text used to describe the KOCHI- "The really new idea in suburban fun centers! Luxurious
Kochi Motel, king-sized pool and patio combined with the elegance of
your own private club for dining and dancing, provide the ideal
atmosphere for relaxation and fun. Truly unique luxury at pleasing
prices...in the heart of America's newest vacationland!"
Fun AND luxurious? Elegant AND relaxing? But wait, there's more! Text inside the matchbook cover claims these amenities: coffee shop, all rooms with balcony, luxurious honeymoon suite, color TV- radio-background music, ideally suited for conventions and banquets with the ultimate in facilities, individually controlled heating and air conditioning, listed under the heading "Dine in the elegant atmosphere of the home of the Kochi Supper Club". Yes, that is a headscratcher of a statement.
And good luck finding a place that's only listed as "North on Highway 81" How far north? And what if you're driving south, east, or west? And to top it all off. "Kochi" is not an Asian name at all, it's actually a port on the west coast of India. The motel itself is pretty much the typical mid-century modern style found all across America at one time.
Fun-loving luxury-seekers, I think your chain has been yanked.
Despite all this, the KOCHI Motel and Supper Club seems to have been a fairly popular spot for travelers and diners. In fact, the Yankton County Livestock Feeders Association held their yearly meeting there in 1965 and the Kochi Supper Club (whether it was elegant or not) was thriving as a live music establishment as late as 1979.
Still standing on the main drag of Broadway near 12th, the motel is now named the Broadway Inn and the supper club is a place where everybody knows your name, Cheers Bar & Grill.
The KC Matchgirl wants to know- where were you in 1974?
Perhaps you were one of the 5.2 million visitors that traveled to Spokane, Washington to experience the EXPO '74 World's Fair. With the theme "Celebrating Tomorrow's Fresh New Environment", the expo was considered the first (and possibly only) world's fair with an environmental theme. The opening ceremony on May 4th featured remarks from then-president Richard M. Nixon. A few months later, he would resign from office, and was an ex-president when the fair closed on November 3rd.
The fairgrounds covered an 100 acre site that included Canada Island, Havermale Island, and the south bank of the Spokane River. Ten countries, Australia, Canada, Iran, Japan, Philippines, Mexico, Republic of China, Republic of Korea, and U.S.S.R., joined the United States, participating with their own pavilions, some of which complied with the environmental theme.
The matchbook's back cover (above) shows an incrementally tiny map of the fairgrounds with the blue areas representing the water from the river. The logo was designed by Lloyd Carlson and represents a Mobius strip of the environment: blue water, green earth, white air.
The front cover features an aerial view of the U.S. Pavilion, which had a white vinyl tent covering the concrete-formed building. While not designed to be permanent, the building stands today, minus the vinyl tent. In 1974, the pavilion featured the newly-developed IMAX theater concept.
Today, the former fairgrounds survives as Spokane's Riverfront Park, a lasting reminder of the event 40 years ago.
Note: While clearly dated 1974, the book is a front strike, last manufactured in 1973.
Apparently, Christmas is a holiday that is ripe for crafting- the felt, the sequins, the glitter, the glue...and TA DA! You've created a cute (or slightly tacky) item ready to be passed along as a "hand-crafted gift".
Here we have a vintage Santa crafted from snippets of felt, decorating a matchbox. This memento of Christmas past would have been given as a "hostess gift" at a holiday party. The KC Matchgirl can just look backwards in time and see a young housewife feverishly snipping her bits of felt and placing the sequins just so until an image of Santa emerges. An ordinary box of Ohio Blue Tip matches has been transformed in a work of art!
In actuality, the KC Matchgirl has no idea who crafted the Santa matchbox or why. It was found forlorn and forgotten in a utility drawer in a church's kitchen- a kitchen with an old stove that has burners that have to be lit with a match. And the box was empty when found so we at least know how the matches were used.
The point is, we don't have to live with the plain Jane generic matchboxes sold today when it's so easy to cover the boring "artwork" with your own design. Don't want to snip felt? Use scrapbook paper, stickers, scenes cut from old greeting cards- the possibilities are endless. But remember, when the creative zeal strikes, don't cover the strikers!
KC Match- Mom helped her son craft these boxes as gifts a few years ago. We used scrapbook paper, stickers, and a black marker.
This noble bird, the turkey, has long been a symbol of the Thanksgiving holiday. But on this front strike matchbook, the symbol represents the fine dining experience of The White Turkey restaurants. With 3 locations in New York City, the fine dining concept included country inns in Hartsdale, NY and Danbury, Connecticut.
At all locations "The sign of THE WHITE TURKEY will always be a welcome symbol of delicious Foods, Fine Liquors and Excellent Service". While the city locations were open year round, the country inn in Danbury closed for the winter, most likely due to its remote location and accessibility during winter weather- which meant it would not be open on Thanksgiving Day. It was also closed for several years during World War II; reopening in the spring of 1946. The menu from that year relates a charming tale of the White Turkey: "The White Turkey is not as many Persons are inclined to suspect, a purely legendary Creature, as Testimony thereof, visitors to our Danbury Inn are invited to inspect the Turkey Pens in the Out-buildings where they may behold, with their own Eyes, six Hens and two Gobblers all white, all Turkey and all very much alive."
Located on an historic property built in 1760, the White Turkey Inn in Danbury operated from approximately 1936 until it closed in 1972. While the exact reasons are unknown, the KC Matchgirl speculates that America's changing dining habits lead to its demise. While earlier generations would gladly dress up for a drive out to the countryside for an elegant dinner, younger generations were less apt to do so. Therefore, Danbury now has a shopping mall aptly named the White Turkey Plaza in its place. Needless to say, the only very white turkeys to be found there these days are probably frozen solid, in the grocer's aisles.
New York City locations: 300 E. 57th, 38th & Madison, 12 E. 49th
Matchbook date- 1950's or earlier
It has occurred to the KC Matchgirl that there's really nothing horrifying about "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". No chainsaw massacres, no exorcisms, no ax murders- just a bizarre tale rampant with sexual silliness.
Written as a stage musical by Richard O'Brien, who played the part of Riff Raff, the show debuted in 1973. A moderate success, O'Brien then wrote the script for the movie version that was released in the fall of 1975. The film was considered a flop until it got a second chance at a midnight showing at the Waverly Theater in NYC. College students looking for some late-night frivolity latched on to the film. By 1979, the film's underground popularity had expanded to weekend late shows at 230 theaters across the country, where audience participation- costumes, retorts, and throwing of props- was all part of the Rocky Horror experience.
As the longest-running release in film history, the movie was selected for the U.S. National Film registry by the Library of Congress in 2005.
On the back of the matchbook for the film is an advertisement for the local theater where the film was shown. The Varsity in St. Louis (at 6810 Delmar) was built in 1935; the theater has since closed and the building has housed a drug store and used record store in recent years.
The saddle of the book features the logo for St. Louis rock station K-SHE 95, and their "Midnight Flicks" promotion.
And while the KC Matchgirl is aware that "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is often shown on television, it occurs to her that the movie is horrifyingly bad- unless you go see the midnight show.
Matchbook Date: Late 1970's, at the height of the Rocky Horror craze.
Sing it out loud, "Jim Dandy to the rescue!" Even if you're familiar with this song, it's really not about the hamburger-holding tyke on the cover of this matchbook.
But because the KC Matchgirl has done the research, for those only familiar with the 1973 recording of the song by Black Oak Arkansas, the song was actually written in 1956. Composed by Lincoln Chase, it was recorded by LaVern Baker and went to the top of the R & B charts that same year. "Jim Dandy" is a name attached to a thing or person of outstanding nature, as in, "Isn't that just Jim Dandy?", and found in written accounts as early as 1844.
Now back to the tyke- one would probably think his name is Jim Dandy. But my research was inconclusive about that assumption. However, the hamburger he's holding is probably the trademarked "Jim Dandy", first introduced to burger-lovers in 1958.
Back in 1950, Harry Reasner purchased a small frozen custard stand in Tipton, Indiana named Polar Bear. In a few years, he had bought a few other drive-ins in nearby towns, all operating under different names. In 1964, he decided to build a new drive-in, named after the popular Jim Dandy burger in Tipton. One by one, the other locations changed to Jim Dandy. Currently there are 7 locations in middle Indiana operating under the Jim Dandy moniker. The tyke has been subjected to some different color schemes, such as this 1970's blue & green, but he's maintained his Dennis The Menace similarities.
Now, the KC Matchgirl has actually been to Tipton, IN and did not see a Jim Dandy restaurant- which would have prompted her to say, "Hey, I have that matchbook!" No, when we were driving north of Indianapolis and stopped to eat, we pulled into the other restaurant fronted by a mop-topped-burger-toting-tyke.... Big Boy.
They say you pay more for a room with a view, so let's check into the Ahwahnee lodge in Yosemite National Park.
Built by the National Park Service in 1927, the style of this historic lodge is a mash-up of Art Deco, Native American, Middle Eastern, and Craftsman styles and decor. With 123 rooms available ( 99 in the lodge proper and 24 adjacent cabins) the Ahwahnee has amenities galore (ATM/bank, children's programs, transportation, concierge, gift shop, sweet shop, dining room, outdoor pool, and more). The upscale dining room enforces a dress code and has a specially designed service pattern that features the Ahwahnee "logo".
The "three-legged Indian" ( as in he's running so fast it appears he has 3 legs) was designed by Jeanette Dyer Spencer in 1927, based on a symbol found in native American basketweaving patterns. "Ahwahnee", however, is an actual Indian name of the village
( meaning "large mouth") in the Yosemite valley. The valley was the "large mouth" and Yosemite (English spelling ) was the Native American tribe that lived in the valley before the land became a national park in 1890.
So the Yosemite tribe chose the Ahwahnee name correctly because the KC Matchgirl had a jaw-dropping "large mouth" when she learned the price, $471 to $1229 a night, for a room with a view at the Ahwahnee.
Note: Due to the simple design, this matchbook is hard to date- a wide guess is late 1920's to early 1950's.
