The main house looked very quiet and grand, when we arrived on a Sunday afternoon. If we'd come the night before, we would have taken in a different scene, with wedding guests on the veranda.  

The Masonic Children's Home  

I found this internet photo of the main house, when it was vacant between 1978 and 2000. The Children's Home was built in 1923, by the the Mason's, to house orphans and children whose parents could no longer care of them. 

Originally, the children were related to members of the fraternal organization. In the fifties the home opened its doors to other children. In the seventies, changes were made in the Oklahoma foster care program and the home closed. It must have been an eerie sight for many years, to the neighbors living nearby.

​28 Acres

Besides the main house, there were a number of other buildings on the property.

Years ago, the city of Guthrie offered up 28 acres to the Masons for their children's home. The city also gave the children access to the public schools. Today, the buildings are surrounded by gorgeous lawns and gardens.

The West Wing

This is the building that now houses the 6 guest rooms. I'm still unclear about what this building was originally used for. I know that at least one dormitory building was torn down.
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To enter the property, we came through gates at the rear.  The huge parking lot was empty, except for one car. We hoped we had booked correctly and they were expecting us.

​The Gardens

Our gracious host was expecting us. She checked us in and gave us a quick tour, showing us the gardens where weddings have taken place for about a decade. She insisted we pose for a photo, when she found out our 39th anniversary was coming up.  

Lots of Green

We explored a while on our own. It was hard to imagine the peaceful lawns and pathways, swarming with wedding guests. I loved having it to ourselves. 

 

But all the crazy tales were easily forgotten when we headed down the second floor hallway, lit by glowing chandeliers. We opened the door to our West Wing Superior Room and the title matched the decor. It seemed more like a room at the White House, than  a room in a haunted hotel. I felt totally unworthy.

Every Detail

Everything from the view, to the glass doorknobs was top notch. 

Sconces and Chandeliers

We must have had 7 or more crystal light fixtures. It was so utterly not our style, but we were giddy about the whole thing. 

Velvet and Wood

There was something pretty splendid about being in an old building, where everything smelled fine. The bed linens, drapes, couch and rug were all odor free.

The last time we had velvet drapes and couch, we were in a musty Victorian hotel in Wyoming, with creaky floors. Everything from the square pillar to the panel moulding, looked sturdy and clean.

The Bathroom

The bathroom was so glamorous it pretty much made me laugh. The spacious, marble shower, looked like it could hold about 4 guests at once. The dramatic horse looked like he was politely turning his head, for those entering the claw footed tub. The gorgeous wood and marble vanity did a very fine job of holding the bucket of ice, delivered by our friendly host.

Unfortunately, the hotel's new restaurant wasn't yet open for business. But we were able to walk to the historic downtown area, for dinner. Returning to see the lit up main house and fountain, was the best surprise. Equally lovely and eerie!

Ahh Morning!

The faucet handle fell off and water began to spew in all directions. I tried desperately to force the handle back on, while I kicked open the door with my foot to whisper/shout, "DON!" (I wanted no hotel staff coming to help!) Don woke and came to the rescue of his naked wife, by shutting off the water valve, underneath the tub. By this time, there was water covering the entire framed horse, the mirror, the marble floor and water was seeping towards the wood and carpet in the next room. Don and I used every towel to meticulously mop up the puddles and to remove every droplet. No bath for me.

Breakfast

By the time Don and I were dressed, we were exhausted. We headed straight to breakfast, passing though a sort of walkway between buildings.

​The Main House

We ended up in the main house, with its grand staircase and formal dining room and bright reception room, with fireplace. I'm not sure how this space was used 95 years ago, but for a while it became a private residence to the new owners in 2000... I think!

Breakfast Room

Don and I greeted another hotel guest on the way to our cozy breakfast room. She was sitting in her nightgown, having tea in the dining room... and that sort of amused me. I'm pretty sure I've never gone to a B&B breakfast, wearing a robe or nighty.  

Chef David

Chef David appeared from the new kitchen, which will be used to prepare meals for the new Bistro, soon. He was in great spirits for 8 am. We chatted a bit about all the interesting places he has worked in past years. I was curious about his interest in international cooking.
​

The Bistro looked just about ready for business. David was extra excited about the pizza oven.
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Who knows... maybe, just maybe, the ghost of the wicked head mistress was actually watching, when Don and I snuck our glass of wine. That crazy bathtub experience, could have been the punishing work of the ghostly mistress!  

As we drove through the city on a Friday afternoon, the 14-story hotel suddenly appeared. It was every bit as impressive as the internet photos. Hopefully there wasn't some catch. $119. seemed awfully low, for city hotel, with 50-million-dollar renovations.

I continued staring far above my head, where 7 fabulous Murano glass chandeliers hung from the ceiling. 

Checking In

​The desk team didn't look quite like these smiling gals from 1950, but the staff was very welcoming. They even asked if we would like a high or low room. High Please!

I loved seeing the vintage photo later and recognizing the carved scroll panels that I'd seen on the lobby desk. We continued to finding hints of the original hotel as we explored later. I so love a renovation that preserves some history!
 

When I pushed the button for the elevator, I really felt like I should be traveling with a steamer trunk, or at least a vintage cosmetic case. The ornate, art deco door covers  were added to the original doors in 1930. Pretty impressive!  
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​Climbing to the Mezzanine

​If we hadn't been on the 11th floor, we might have used the stairs more. The red tile in the stairwell was original and the marble stairs were added in the 1920's remodel.

We did at least take the stairs to the second floor mezzanine, which had some nice seating and a good view of the lobby. 

 

Looking over the mezzanine railing, we had a great view of the carved characters, which showed a little of Mr. Skirvin's humor. The smiling faces at the top of the pillars, belonged to Bacchus, the Roman god of wine. There was also a pair of "Okie-gargoyles" carved into the woodwork. One was supposed to be OK Governor "Alfalfa" Murray and the other is a mystery. 

11th Floor

If I'd done my homework, I could have asked to be on the 10th floor for some extra excitement. Evidently, there are stories about Mr. Skirvin and some misbehaving with women and gambling on this floor.

Some even talk about ghosts that haunt the 10th floor. Stories tell how Effie, a housemaid was once locked in a room on the 10th floor, to avoid scandal. Supposedly she gave birth to Mr. Skirvin's child in that room and later jumped to her death with her baby. Some claim to have met up with her ghost. Luckily these stories are mostly legend and Don and I are more amused than creeped out!

Just Milk
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The 11th floor seemed to be ghost free. We did however have some nice framed art. I loved the vintage photo of the "milk bottle building" that I had photographed on our way driving towards the hotel.

Room 1119

My photos do not do the room justice. It was a lovely corner room with more space and luxury than the photos show.

The bed was cushy with good lamps and end tables. That's pretty much all I need.

Tub and a Window

a complimentary box of special products, like the hotel offered in the past!  Lavoris mouthwash and powder... creme rinse...! Do people say creme rinse anymore? This little package was on display with old photos, near the lobby.

View 

I love windows, especially with a corner room. One of our windows showed the nearby Bricktown area, with a Candy Factory.  

The other window gave us a perfect view of the rounded structure with decorative designs on the top. But, then I noticed someone straight across, sitting on the window seat and that was creepy. I felt like I was in Hitchcock's Rear Window movie!

Rounded Room

Seeing the rounded building made me curious about the rooms inside the structure. Don and I took a ride to the top floor and had a look. What a lovely widow-filled space!

The Venetian Room

While on the top floor, we also took a peek at The Venetian Room, with its restored plaster ceilings. In the 1930's orchestras played here and vaudeville stars performed. 

It's hard to imagine this elegant space once had wagon-wheel light fixtures, instead of chandeliers. It's even harder to imagine this space abandoned. The hotel sat dormant for nearly 20 years.

The Red Piano Bar

After exploring a while, Don and I set off for the piano bar in time for Happy Hour. We sipped martinis, while a gentleman played old favorites on the shiny piano. I was equally entertained by the artwork above our heads. 

Whimsical Ceiling Art

​It would be totally easy to have missed the two painted ceiling panels above our heads.

A century ago, Mr. Skirvin shared more of his quirky humor when he chose this artwork for his hotel. I so adored the amusing characters that stared down at us from a painted mezzanine. Elephants and mermaids... trapeze artists and opera singers!

Doors to Dinner

The dining room wasn't open until 5, but that was okay. It gave us a better look at the elaborate door. We could have sat near the window and played chess while we waited.

Or...

There was another cozy sitting area near the restaurant. I loved the festive, martini drinking gang above the red couch!

Bricktown

We ended up skipping dinner at the hotel and taking advantage of the balmy evening and the Skirvin's good location. It was an easy walk to Bricktown, where we wandered along the canal and stopped to sample some food and drink along the way.

Hotel at Night

When we returned, we walked across the plaza to catch a view of the lit up hotel. I'm not sure how Mr. Skirvin lit the hotel in 1911 when there were only 2 towers and 10 floors. Maybe it had a big neon sign in the 1950's when Elvis or Dean Martin were guests.  It looked pretty perfect on the last night in August, 2018.

Breakfast

We may have missed dinner at the hotel, but we made sure to have breakfast.

Coffee Shop/Park Avenue Grill

I doors were wide open in the morning and we headed into the area that had once been the snazzy new Coffee Shop in 1926. I wish they still had the U-shaped bars and stools, but at least they kept the art deco tile work 

They were serving a fabulous looking buffet, but we opted for omelet and oatmeal. My crazy huge bowl had smaller bowls of raisins, almonds and brown sugar. Our food was just right... along with a carafe of coffee!

What's Notable?

We barely made it on time to enjoy a local production of "Billy Elliot" starring a friend of my dad's.  Then we rushed a block away to Guthrie Green to catch the end of a performance with composer/ performer, David Amram.  He and my Dad had a quick reunion.  It was their first, since working together over 50 years ago at Lincoln Center.  It was a whirlwind of reunions and then it was time for goodbyes. 

But we were in a rush.  I only had time to glance up all 18 stories as we rushed in through the main entrance.  This was once the tallest building in Oklahoma, when it was built in 1925!

Don checked us in at the desk while I studied the 2-level lobby.  (Those were some very long curtains!)  I wondered what the place looked like when Bob Hope stayed... or JFK or Charlie Chaplin!

Off to Our Room

We got our key and headed for the set of elevators.  It was fun to imagine the clothing styles and even the suitcases that traveled up these elevators over the years.

​History in the Halls

The hall gave no hints of the hotel's age.  The Mayo was gutted and renovated before its reopening in 2009, so all seemed sleek and modern.  But there were numerous framed photographs telling lots of history.  I longed for some time to study, but we were in a hurry. 

Our Room

We checked in at 7:10 and needed to freshen up and be in the bar by 7:30, so I snapped pics fast.  It is my job to take photos before we mess the place up.  This place was huge for $119.00!  

Space!

It was nice to be able to spread out after 2 weeks of of road-tripping, with mostly cramped accommodations.  The modern decor was a little unmemorable and I think they forgot to put artwork on the walls, but we weren't complaining. The bed was heavenly and the TV was huge.

Well, there was some art in the bathroom, which was spotless.  My photos don't capture any of the clean, fresh feel of this place.  I kept wishing we could slow down and enjoy.

Casey was our very extroverted server in the bar.  He brought our drinks and made sure to give Dan lots of olives.  We yakked on and on over appetizers and drinks. We made sure Casey got a photo of all of us and of course he took a selfie of himself.  I took my own photo of Casey and I think it shows off his personality quite well.

We made some toasts and enjoyed having the place to ourselves.  I also had a chance to wander a bit and snoop at the decor.  

If it hadn't been a Sunday night, our friends might have been able to hang out longer.  We also could have enjoyed a visit to the Penthouse Rooftop Bar, but it was closed on Sunday.  It was finally time for good-byes, then Don and I took a detour on the way to our room. We weren't able to peek at the Rooftop Bar, but we found The Crystal Ballroom.

Wow!

Jennifer and Kate had been traveling in their Winnebago for over a year. Don and I managed to meet up with them numerous times during their travels. We had just finished a rendezvous in Missouri, but Don was eager to head off to Arkansas for some hiking. I chose to spend a day and night, traveling in the "Bessie".  The road that took us to the farm was beautiful and entertaining... with smacking low branches and jolting pot holes! 

Will We Fit?

We called as we neared the farm, to give the owner enough time to walk down from her house to unlock the gate.  She and her friend arrived, sipping glasses of champagne.  It as Happy Hour after all.  Kathleen was sure Bessie would fit through the gateway, but it looked impossible to me. Jennifer and Kate made it happen!
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The Farm

Kathleen said to park anywhere, so we pulled over, right in front of their lovely log house, beside a field of curious alpacas.

Friendly Friends

As we approached in the RV, the alpaca heads all turned to watch the Big Bess come to a halt. A few seemed to frolic like happy goats. Kathleen called it pronking.
Kathleen said it was no problem if our traveling animals, Gypsy and Bailey came out for a look.  The alpacas were used to small critters.

Kathleen had names for every alpaca, which is a hint that these animals are raised for their luxurious wool, not meat.  One sweet friend (hard to see in dim light) had a prosthetic leg. What sweet creatures.

Back in Bessie

The alpacas got settled in their stalls for the night and we headed into Bessie for dinner and bed. It had been a long day. I got the Railroad Bunk, which I loved. Kate had even made a little curtain that I could pull.  The outside temps were pleasant, so no need for the noisy generator to cool or heat Bessie.

Morning

I slept well and woke early. I was eager to peek out my window, but the alpacas weren't out yet.

​Morning Walk

I took Bailey on a walk down the dirt road, past the rolls of hay.

I tried to earn my keep in the Bessie, by helping with some animal walks.  But in truth, I caused a bit of a problem when I let Little Gypsy Cat loose.  She headed right through the fence, into the alpaca area.  Luckily she was lured back... not by me.

Kathleen had pointed out a few pregnant alpacas the night before.  She said there was a chance we might get to witness a birth in the morning.  That would have been a first for me!  But we had no such luck.

Photo Ops

Jennifer and I made good use of our cameras.

Chores

And then we made good use of our muscles.  I was wearing flip flops and a white jacket when we asked Kathleen if there was anything we could do to help out.  

Suddenly, Jennifer and I were invited to clean stalls.  Alpaca poop!  But my sister and I have always teamed up well doing chores.  We took turns with the shovel and hoe. I had the fun of emptying the wheelbarrow into the big pile.

But, most of all I will remember the chores!  It was pretty comical how Jennifer and I moved about scooping and scraping, while Kathleen followed us around telling us stories. That is the image that I will most remember!

F & F sits high up, at the south end of Lake Tenkiller, just west of the Arkansas border.  When we lived in Tulsa, our friends would talk about annual family reunions at the resort.  Don and I decided to stop by while on a road trip, to check out the place that we'd heard about for years.

The Notable Entrance

In the 1990's, the Harts used to chuckle about the dated resort. But they loved the place.  When we approached the office, I had to smile at the cement urns and birdbaths.  I wanted to experience the place just as the Harts had described. I was glad the resort hadn't just completed a major renovation.

Just inside the glass doors, I spotted the bustling office and gift shop to the left. While Don checked in, I headed to the right and took a seat in a snazzy little area. "Just perfect for a little meeting with my Garden Club friends!" I thought.  If I belonged to a garden club... 
I will admit, I did detect a musty odor, with a hint of skunk.  But sometimes you have to put up with smells of the past in order to enjoy a vintage atmosphere.  As for the skunk... well, the picture windows revealed a lot of nature out there.  I'm sure that smell was temporary.

1960 is barely old enough to get me excited.  But it was fun to imagine this property 55 years ago, opening with 20 cabins and a small cafe.   We headed down the drive to find our accommodations in an slightly newer addition.

This building may have been a little younger than 60 years old,  but our room at the top of the stairs had the same musty smell of old carpet and tired air-conditioners.  No big deal, it's a lake resort after all.  I have no photos of the room, but it was spacious, with dated decor and a nice view of the lake in the distance.

Don and I were pretty drained by the sweltering heat that day. We had spent much of our day outside, visiting the nearby Cherokee Heritage Center, absorbing history about the devastating Trail of Tears that ended in Oklahoma.  We needed something to help us transition into this very different world and something to cool us down.  We fixed some ice-cold gin & tonics and strolled the grounds with our thermal mugs. The metal umbrella over the picnic table made me grin!

Where was everyone? The pool was empty, so all the families must have been at the lake.  I could picture the Hart Family reunion taking over this glass covered pool area.  I'll bet there were a lot of swim caps in this pool when it first opened. 

Once again, things seemed a little empty.  But it was quite a sight to see this gigantic recreation area with such a mixture of styles.  There was a stone covered water fountain, beside a retro coin operated scale.  The '70's fast food style seating was beside a flashy, carpeted wall!  And beyond that wall was a sea of pool tables and arcade games! A kid's dream!

I wasn't sure about the Skate at Your Own Risk sign.  There was a rental station, but I'm not sure where the skating happened.  Maybe you could skate from the ping pong table to the pool tables? Pretty curious. 

Evening at The Fin

Actually this photo was taken in the morning from our window, not evening.

I didn't have my camera when we strolled to dinner at the newly remodeled restaurant, called Soda Steve's.  I wish I had photos of the curious "island themed" dining room and some of the foods (like ice cream nachos) that we saw being devoured.  There was an awkward vibe to the place, since many of the tables were occupied by a quiet family reunion. The women all wore long denim skirts and and long ponytails with puffy bangs.  I'm not positive, but I think this hints at some fundamentalist religion.  I am sure that they were a very proper and mannerly group, in contrast to the sunburned, voraciously hungry family crowds that entered a little later. 

If Don and I had come years ago with our kids and the Hart family, we would have had a blast.  In fact we still would, with our grown kids... mostly because we all like each other!  But since we had no family to "play" with on this visit,  I'm glad we got to wander and enjoy (with our R-rated cocktails) and imagine the past!

I already mentioned the Route 66 part, and that was the lure since we were on an Oklahoma road trip.  But the motel location was a bit grim.  This stretch of the old Route, 5 miles from downtown, was loaded with used car and auto salvage lots. 

It felt a little odd to slide my  credit card through the little dip, beneath the bullet proof glass.  Oh, but it is fun living on the edge sometimes!

Easy parking, since we were the only car in the lot!  And what a sleek design!  Each room jutted out, so you entered more of a sidedoor. I'm picturing the architect in 1953 as he grinned at his cleverness.  "This will make the room more spacious.  And the door will open so very discretely."

Personalizing Our Room

If only I'd known our room would be decorated with white painted paneling and accents of mauve and Kelly green, I could have brought a different quilt! 

Honestly, this is not a habit.  I just didn't care for the worn and creepy looking bed spread.  I removed it at once and checked the sheets, which still had creases from pressing.  Then I remembered I had this quilt in the car and went for it.  

I have no bathroom photo, but I do think we had to step up or down to reach it. And there was some retro pink tile work that I really liked. Why no photo?  

We didn't spend too many sleeping hours in our little motel.  We got in late the night before, after meeting friends for dinner and a James Taylor concert. I woke early the next morning and announced to Don "We made it through the night." (Our friends had shared some stories about the evidently sketchy area where we were staying!)  I stepped out to try to catch the sunrise over the "desert hills" and did manage to see a glow. I also noticed that a few more guests had arrived in the night.  How cozy.  Our hosts had placed us in rooms next to one another.  Kind of like  B&B hosts, encouraging their guests to socialize over breakfast!  

Out of all our oddball, retro, vintage, historic stays, this seems to be the one that confuses people the most.  "Why did you stay there?"  There was something sort of silly about choosing a place like this, when you can afford better.  I guess it was the sign that we couldn't resist.  I'm glad we stayed.  I'm glad Don got a tee-shirt that he has worn many times. And I'm glad I can cross it off my list! 

Chelsea, Oklahoma

In July 2012, Don and I took a one week road trip on the Mother Road in Oklahoma.  Our journey included an evening at the Woody Guthrie Festival in Okemah, a dancing lesson with Farmer   in the old Round Barn, numerous meals in quaint and quirky cafes and diners, but only 2 nights in motels on the actual route itself.

This motel at the north end of 66 was our comfiest stay on the Route. You have to love a place called Motor Inn.  They no longer have the original sign, and I do love a retro sign, but there's a grand wooden tower that greets travelers today.

We spotted some other motels with interesting signs while on the road, but we had already made reservations after reading decent reviews about our motel in Chelsea.

When I talked to Trudy on the phone a week earlier, she told me about their Route 66 Room. We were pretty darn thrilled to book that room for $49.00. 

Décor

My idea of perfect décor is a place that hasn't changed anything except the sheets and mattress since opening.  But I happily went along with the Route 66 themed bedspread and curtains.  I appreciated the enthusiasm with the framed prints and the mighty fun fake gasoline pump.  But mostly we had fun with the map of Oklahoma on the wall.  It was fun following the marked route and spotting the towns we'd been through.

The office door is at the end near the house. Owner Trudy greeted me upon arrival and warned us not to be worried when cars arrived later, "Family is coming to stay."  I was sad to hear some hints about illness in the family. I so hope the motor inn is still open.  I know they had big plans to make the house next door into a bed and breakfast.

We had the whole "porch" to ourselves.  Since no one else had checked in, we borrowed a green metal chair and had ourselves a pleasant happy hour.

Lounging

We cooled down with icy drinks, in front of our room, #5...

 

 ...and read up on some interesting facts about the Mother Road.

And we gazed across Route 66, to this funny old garage.  We even had a few cars wave to us.  Now that made my day!

Dinner

We had dinner in Chelsea, at the Main Street Café.  I had the meatloaf special with a navy bean dish. 

Nearby Sights

In the morning we found more cars in the graveled lot.  Trudy's family must have been at the house.  I think a couple rooms were taken by some construction workers who had arrived late. We checked out and enjoyed a few of the sights a short drive from the motel. 

You have to love Ed Golloway's colorful, 90 foot cement totem pole, completed in 1948...after 11 years of work.

And we were able to find this wonderful old bridge that carried Route 66 traffic, from 1926 to 1933.

We met an interesting man from Munich on the bridge.
He was visiting The States, riding his motorcycle across the continent and said Missouri reminded him of Bavaria!

What's Notable?


There was nothing too  picturesque or luxurious or even really historic about the motel itself. But the place was welcoming and clean and best of all right there on a 2-lane portion of Route 66!   It was hot, but we did what travelers did back in the early days of automobile traveling...when motels weren't air-conditioned.  We parked in front of our room and sat out front and watched the cars go by.