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.
Count the KC Matchgirl as a member of the "I never went to Disneyland" club. While cousins and neighbors made the trek across America to the No. 1 vacation spot, I had to console my childhood dream by latching onto the postcards they sent in the mail and their cast-off souvenirs.
So when I had the chance to purchase a Disneyland matchbook for a mere 25 cents, it was just like wishing upon a star. Finally, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy would be joining my collection, all decked out in their Bicentennial costumery.
It was only later that I noticed the small detail on the back- "Tobacco Shop".
Wait, a tobacco shop at Disneyland?
The Tobacconist was once located located on Main Street, wedged between the Magic Shop and the Cinema. One of the original shops that opened in 1955, the Tobacconist carried hand-crafted pipes and fine tobacco from around the world. A traditional wooden "Cigar Store Indian" stood sentry out front. While the tobacco shop closed in 1991, the wooden Indian has remained in the same spot. The shop is now called 20th Century Music Co.
Epilog: The KC Matchgirl knows it's never too late for a trip to Disneyland, but she would have rather gone in 1969- which IS no longer possible.
And she also hopes that everyone knows that the American Bicentennial was back in 1976.
Usually, a matchcover doesn't question you, it tells you: the place, the address, the phone number. It wants you to know exactly where you picked it up from.
Then there are the matchcovers that brazenly ask just where you got it- then make you look inside for the answer- each time you need a match.
Needless to say, there's a novelty to it though sometimes it's worded a little differently. "Now Where Did I Get This?" is the G-rated version, and readers may recall the KC Matchgirl featured the PG- rated version for her blog premiere titled "Where The Hell Did I Get This?" (July 2013). The answer inside is also G-rated: from Clay Widener of Moore Reality Co. in Denver, CO, who has probably gone to that real estate listing in the sky by now.
The flipside of this stylish punctuation mark asks "Why Not?" then just gets silly by stating "We Never Close, Open 24 days a week, 7 hours a day" across the saddle. "Why Not" what? When are they open? When do they close?
Well, let's flip it open and find out! "It's Top's for HOT APPLE PIE", "Denver's Quality Drive-In Restaurants", 2 addresses listed... So "Why Not?" eat at Top's? or "Why Not?" eat HOT APPLE PIE?
The KC Matchgirl just doesn't know-
Are they open 24/7 or 7/24? Are customers expected to eat HOT APPLE PIE in their cars? Because the KC Matchgirl remembers the drive-ins of the 1960's (where you ordered your food then ate it in the car) and her parents constant harping about spilling ketchup, soda, or ice cream inside the car, much less HOT APPLE PIE!
They would be sure to tell you "Why Not?"
Come on, kids! Hop in the car! We're going on a road trip to search for the cutest matchbook EVER. And, if we're lucky, it will have a petting zoo, pony cart rides, a candy shop, AND a toy shop, for a full day of family fun.
Here's the place, Honey Bear Farm, at the shore of Powers Lake, Wisconsin. Once a bucolic family farm, it was purchased by Julia Kraft, founder of Mrs. Steven's Candies, in 1953. The original farm buildings were converted into shops and a restaurant, featuring "grandma-style" cooking with signature menu items: honey bread and honey salad dressing. The Honey Bear mascot appeared on mugs, T-shirts, and other gift items.
After nearly 20 successful years, the 18-acre spread was sold to Carson Pirie Scott, better known as the big Chicago department store founded in 1858.
Of course, changes were made and not always for the better, then the popular restaurant burned down in 1977. Even though it was re-built, business continued to falter and the whole operation eventually was shuttered.
The farm where Honey Bear and the children of Wisconsin used to frolic and play is no more. The only trace of what used to be is a place on the lake called "Honey Bear Bay".
Matchbook Circa 1974
The Inside Story: Honey Bear Beckons You Spend a dozy day of leisure at Honey Bear Farm. 18 acres of rolling meadows on the shore of Powers Lake. Fun for the whole family...pony-cart rides to penny candy for the kids...luncheon (or dinner) like grandmother used to serve...gift cottages filled to brimming with home-made bread and pastries, hostess whimsies, countrified casual-wear and more. Carson Pirie Scott & Co. credit cards honored.
The early collection of the KC Matchgirl centered solely on the local places she had been. All that changed when an uncle gave her The Sack. This plain brown paper grocery sack, which was found in the trash pile, had wondrous items inside- matchbooks from other places! From hotels, motels, restaurants, bowling alleys, to lounges & coffee shops. All used, from a man who obviously smoked everywhere he went, from city to city, especially in Denver.
Sorting through the contents was like an archaeological dig, discovering the unknown smoker's life through matchbooks: where he ate, had a few beers, cashed his paycheck, even where he worked- United States Air Force.
After a visit to the SAC Museum in Ashland, NE, it finally dawned on the KC Matchgirl there was a matchbook from that sack with the same logo displayed there...
The Strategic Air Command shield logo features an armored fist gripping lightening bolts, which represent speed and power, and olive branches to symbolize peace. The shield was designed by Airman 2nd Class Robert T. Barnes during a contest in 1951, which netted him a $100 savings bond for the winning design.
Using the personnel and facilities developed during World War II, it was first established as the Continental Air Force in 1944. 2 years later the unit was re-designated as the Strategic Air Command. Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, CO was home to the 703rd Strategic Missile Wing and the 451st Strategic Missile Wing Titan 1 units from 1958 to 1965, when the Titan ICBMs were removed.
In 1992, a united command was renamed US Strategic Command and the shield logo was retired.
This 40- count matchbook dates to the late 1950's to early 1960's.
The show just started, let's take our seats. Just look at the pianist, pounding out those chords. Now the trumpeter leans back to hit those high notes- and the drummer beats the cymbal on his head!
So glad you could make it tonight, and join the KC Matchgirl at Taylor's Supper Club in Lakewood, Colorado. From 1948 through 1982 ,
owner Sammy Toole booked the best musical comedy performers to his famous venue and served 500 dinners on a busy Saturday night.
The regular house band, The Taylors, represented on the matchcover, were popular enough to make recordings that were autographed and sold at the club so patrons could play the album on their hi-fi (stereo) back home. Through the magic of today's internet, the recordings can be found on eBay and a home-movie band performance can be viewed on YouTube.
The marque at Taylor's went dark when the owner decided he didn't like the performing acts that were available in the early 80's. The building was sold and later operated as various discos and nightclubs before becoming vacant.
In 2001, the building was remodeled and reopened as the Rocky Mountain Endoscopy Center, housing multiple physicians and specialists. Many a patient, while sitting in the gastroenterologist's office, can reminisce back to the days when the building was filled with diners, drinkers, and dancers instead of doctors.
Taylor's Supper Club, 7000 W. Colfax Ave. circa early 1960's
Las Vegas is a happening place, but what's not happening is the preservation of old structures, such as the one pictured on this matchbook from the Hickory Wood Bar-B-Q. The first thing the KC Matchgirl thought when she noticed the address was, "Bet that building isn't there any more!"
In fact, 315-17 Fremont is not an actual address any more either. The whole block has been consolidated as one address, 301 Fremont, where The D Las Vegas, a 638 room hotel/casino now stands. Prior to 2012, the hotel was known as Fitzgerald's, and prior to 1987, was known as Sundance. How long Hickory Wood was in business has been hard to pinpoint, but its fate as a small business was probably sealed when the Golden Nugget Casino opened two blocks away in 1946, which lead to the Fremont Hotel opening in 1956 a mere block away.
Meat smoking on a grill has since been replaced by neon and blinking lights. Fremont, one of Las Vegas' original platted streets dating to 1905, now boasts the Fremont Street Experience, a canopy that stretches four blocks, from Main to 4th street. This 90 ft. barrel-vaulted structure cost $70 million to build in 1995. The pedestrian walkway's highlight is a nightly music-enhanced light show that runs hourly from 6 pm to midnight. Originally, the technology used incandescent bulbs, but a $17 million upgrade in 2004 switched to a LED system.
It all sounds like quite an experience, unless you just want to sit down in a small joint and chomp on some tasty looking "Q"...
Matchbook timeframe: 1940's, due to the 4 digit telephone number and artwork style.
