San Bernardino's Wigwam Village keeps Route 66 playful

San Bernardino’s Wigwam Village No. 7 reminds you that Route 66 had to move travelers and catch their eye along the way.

The motel sits on Foothill Boulevard, the old Route 66 corridor. Its cone-shaped rooms were built as novelty roadside architecture. It was the kind of place meant to make a family point out the window and talk about stopping. It is now a historic motel on the National Register.

The design is playful, but it also carries its period. Mid-century road travel brought neon signs, themed motels, diners, gas stations, and odd attractions. Each one had to compete in a fast-moving car world. Wigwam Village made the building itself the advertisement.

There is also a language and culture issue to hold gently. The motel uses an older roadside fantasy of Native imagery, not an accurate cultural lesson. That does not erase its value as a Route 66 landmark, but it helps visitors see it clearly.

For San Bernardino, the motel is one piece of a larger road story. Railroads, highways, depots, citrus, military work, and desert travel all pass through this city. Wigwam Village is the bright, odd, photo-friendly chapter.