#351 - Parry Lodge in Kanab, UT

Motel Lodge in Kanab

In June, we finally got to stay at this intriguing lodge, with its colorful sign.

The lodge/motel sits right on US Route 89, in the remote town of Kanab.

​Don and I first spotted it 10 years ago, when driving from the North Rim to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

The town of less than 5,000 residents, is surrounded by a stunning natural landscape. 

Ideal Location
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The South Utah location makes it a popular place for travelers, trying to hit numerous National Parks.  

Nearly a century ago, the nearby red sandstone, attracted Hollywood studios, interested in filming Westerns. We didn't know that when we arrived for lunch 10 years ago.
 
Fall of 2015

It was early October when Don and I first laid eyes on the quaint office building..

The sweet white building looked smaller than it actually was, sitting under the towering green trees.

Oasis in Kanab

The 2-block shady oasis, included 5 buildings and 89 guest rooms.

The property goes back to 1892, when the Johnson family built a farmhouse. The fun history began In 1928, when the 3 Parry brothers bought the property to create a lodge. The brothers expanded and created a complex of cottages, guest rooms a dining room and more. Parry Lodge ended up attracting tourists and Hollywood crews.

Cookbook

A decade ago Don and I stopped in Kanab for food, not lodging. At that point, the only thing we knew about Parry Lodge, was that they once served Pot Roast!

In other words, this was a cookbook-inspired lunch stop! We've discovered a lot of places, by flipping through our mid-century cookbooks, put out by Ford Motor Company.

The Coffee Shop sign got me extra excited. It look about the same age as our 1950 cookbook.

Maybe we could sit at a counter and order Pot Roast!.

The coffee shop located below the sign, was actually closed.

The main dining room on the right, was open. It looked old-timey-inviting. with white curtains, picket fence and rose bushes. Just like Grandma's house.

Lobby in 2015

It wasn't until we stepped inside, that we learned about Parry Lodge and its curious connection to Hollywood.

19The lobby walls were covered in framed photos of movie stars! 250 autographed photos.

Stars
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For over a half century, Parry Lodge was home to Hollywood celebrities and crews. From the 1920s to the early '70s, over 100 films were shot in the area. The lodge was a welcome escape for stars of Western films and TV shows. John Wayne, Roy Rogers, Barbara Stanwyck, Clint Eastwood, Fess Parker...

Other actors that I don't associate with Westerns, also stayed at Parry Lodge, while working on films. 
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Gregory Peck, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, Ava Gardner and Sidney Poitier... Younger stars like Shirley Temple and Johnny Whitaker...

And good ole Buddy Ebsen. He's the only actor from the endless list, that I actually met once. I was starstruck at age 19, when I met the sweet guy in St. Louis.

Greeted by Staff

A young man greeted at the lobby desk when we arrived. He shared a little about the hotel history and told us his grandmother had managed the hotel & restaurant in the '60s. "Yep! She had some good stories about guests!"

The stairs near the desk reminded me that this had once been a home. In the 1950s those stairs led to a special place called "Red Room". The secret area (with red carpet) was created to give some of the celebrities a little private getaway in the evenings. There was a bar and private dining room. A dumbwaiter carried food up from the kitchen. I wish I'd asked what was up there today.

Cookbook Posing

It's been 10 years, since Don and I had our lunch at the lodge. But I clearly remember that pot roast was not on the menu. Don ordered the Beef Patty Special for $7.95, which seemed like retro pricing.

After we finished, we had a surprise meet up with the fellow who cooked our lunch. He was intrigued with the old cookbook. 

Darla the manager, was eager to take a photo of the 1950 recipe and illustration. Then she showed me some old hotel postcards that looked similar to the book's image.

We sat on the porch a moment and Darla pointed to nearby rosebushes. She said they were the original bushes. 100 years old?

​Farmhouse

​An old black and white photo made me wish I could go back in time, when the lodge looked more like a home.

More grass and less road, back then!

"Little Hollywood"

At some point Kanab acquired the nickname Little Hollywood. This photo  from the 1950s, shows that Parry Lodge did more than house film stars. 

In 1957, the lodge was used during the filming of "The Girl in Black Stockings".


The Girl in Black Stockings
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I've never heard of this film noir doozie, but I watched the trailer!

What a hoot! I doubt Anne Bancroft was too proud of her part in this film. It was fun to spot parts of the hotel in the trailer.

Parry Lodge in 2025

It took us 10 years to get ourselves back to Kanab. Finally Don and I got to be overnight guests at the iconic Parry Lodge.

We pulled off of Highway 89 on a June afternoon. We couldn't miss the bright sign on the corner.

​Sadly the blue & white Coffee Shop sign was missing.

We stepped into the office and to the left I could see where the Coffee had been. Tee-shirts and some seating, now.

​The rest of the lobby looked pretty much the same, although the wallpaper had changed.

Of course I had to pose with the Duke!

I was glad to see all the framed photos were still displayed.

Dining

Suzanne checked us in at the counter. We were sad to know the lodge restaurant was no longer serving lunch or dinner. Just breakfast.

I spotted a white piano in the corner. Suzanne told me to feel free to play. I declined, but was glad to hear Suzanne describe a few spontaneous guest performances she'd enjoyed.

​Tim Conway

We found our Tim Conway Room in one of the 2 buildings with celebrity names above the doors.  Right between Peter Lawford and Walter Brennan. 

I really wanted Gregory Peck, but Don wanted a couch and Tim had one. You definitely have to be a certain age to get a good chuckle out of the names!

Cottage Row

​This is how some of the motel style rooms looked, back in the day. 

I love the screen doors and garage space.

This is the updated version. Not nearly as quaint. This building had some bigger celebrity names above the doors.

Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and Dean Martin supposedly stayed here. Frank evidently talked the Parrys into connecting rooms so they could create their own party space. 

Tim's Room

They say the rooms are named for the stars who stayed there. 

Don and I were skeptical that stars really stayed in those specific rooms. But I was quite amused just thinking that our room was named for the guy that used to crack me up, on the Carol Burnett Show.

Decor

No complaints about the room size. And Don was happy with his couch. The floors were new and all was clean, but the decor was a bit odd.

There seemed to be a few things missing in the large space. A coffee table maybe. The tiny framed poster looked a little lost on the barn red accent wall.  

There was an identical poster in the hall. That sort of tickled me. 

Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, starring Tim Conway & Don Knotts! It was probably one of the last Westerns to be filmed in the area. Probably the silliest too.

Bed & Bath
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Honestly no complaints. We had a separate bedroom and the bathroom was updated. And the price was very reasonable. 

We weren't staying for luxury. We weren't even staying for the early parks. We were staying for the movie history.

John Wayne's Pool

I was excited to spend a little time sitting around the kidney shaped pool!

It was around 1950, when John Wayne talked the Parrys into building the pool. He offered to pay half.

During tourist season, travelers got to enjoy a refreshing dip as well. Don't forget your swim caps, Ladies!

The Cottages

There was a cozy little cluster of duplex buildings, surrounding a grassy courtyard.

The cottage below had John Wayne's name above the door. Likely this really was where he frequently stayed.  

It was booked or we would have gone for it.

Happy Hour

At 6, Don made drinks and we headed to the pool. Sadly the gate was locked. A storm was brewing and the pool was closed.  I peeked across the fire pits and saw another sitting area.

The covered sitting area had a tree growing up through the roof. We suddenly had a better idea.

The Porch

Don and I love porches with rocking chairs. We couldn't resist.

We sat with our drinks and snacks and watched the skies darken. A dramatic lightening show entertained.
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Old Barn Playhouse

At 6:30 it was time to head for the barn, where horses were once boarded. Today it's a mini theatre and lodge guests can watch one of the many westerns filmed in the area.

Earlier, I asked Suzanne what would be playing that evening. She said she wasn't sure.

Then she remembered we were staying in the Tim Conway Room and she put in a request for the Apple Dumpling movie.

That silly 1979 Disney movie would not have been my first choice of Westerns. But when in Rome... or when staying in the Tim Conway Room, why not?
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First they showed  a documentary about the film history in Kanab and Parry Lodge.

That was actually very intriguing.

Don and I had the barn theatre to ourselves when Tim Conway and Don Knotts hit the screen.

We enjoyed watching about 20 minutes of the very silly movie.

We chuckled a few times at the corny humor. What a silly pair. But we couldn't stay too long since we needed to grab dinner.

Across the Highway 

Suzanne recommended Iron Horse Restaurant, just across the "street". Parry Lodge guests were given a discount. We enjoyed some quick posing with touristy things before and after we ate.

I invited Don to pose with the Lone Ranger, but he declined.

​We ate a very decent meal at the touristy Iron Horse.

I enjoyed the masked guests at a nearby table. 

​Parry at Night
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It was dark when we headed back to the lodge, so we didn't take the most direct route.

We played it safe and walked down to a traffic light. 

I enjoyed the lit up sign before heading back to our room.

Then I took a peek in the windows of the dining room.

I spotted a few guests playing games. No one playing the piano. 

Breakfast Buffet

​In the morning the dining room was open and lively. A breakfast buffet was available for $10.00.

It was interesting to see some of the other guests. It looked like most were getting ready to head off on outdoor adventures. No Hollywood celebs sipping coffee. Just Don.

​I headed for the pool and finished my coffee sitting under a big umbrella.

After relaxing a bit, I wandered near the parking lot to read a few more displayed plaques. 

"Little Hollywood's" Walk of Fame Markers
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The "Walk of Fame" markers, are scattered along the main street. All dedicated to Western Stars from film and TV. 

There must have been 50 plaques, featuring stars who filmed movies and shows in the area. Some I wouldn't have expected, like Omar Sharif!

What's Notable?

We stayed in a small town, motel/lodge, with a big history! 

We knew a little about what to expect. but there were still surprises. Our stay was definitely  not about the room. I was happiest, sitting on the pool deck where John Wayne and others hung out... or watching the movie in the 100 year old barn... or sitting on the porch and watching a storm brewing... or chatting with Suzanne and some of the housekeeping staff, to get more Hollywood history. 

I'm so glad we finally stayed!
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