Talk Turkey

21:06:00 MoonDoggie 7 Comments

Someone on Tiki Central posted a link to an astounding combination of late 60s architecture and 70s taste... The Gobbler in Wisconsin.


Lileks has created what amounts to a virtual tour of what he has dubbed, "the grooviest motel in Wisconsin".  It documents the motel-bar-restaurant with a mix of original brochure illustrations and photographs as well as more recent photographs of its eventual decay.


Sad, huh? The site is well worth a look.  I recommend you take a full tour by clicking the 'Start here' link on the first page.  If nothing else, I learned that those lovely mid century illustrations didn't always give an accurate representation of the reality...


...and a healthy reminder that not everything in the past was good.

7 comments:

  1. 1950s Atomic Ranch House14 March 2011 at 21:30

    Interesting that it's still in such good condition...

    I dunno, it looks about what the artwork depicts...

    But it reminds me of going to Las Vegas in 1970... That had the same creepy, stale smoke feeling lol...

    Still, cool for it's time! Thanks for the tour. =)

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  2. Barbara14 March 2011 at 22:16

    It isn't. It's dead and gone.

    http://gobblermotel.blogspot.com/

    It was cool then...

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  3. Dana@Mid2Mod14 March 2011 at 22:30

    The beds with the big shaggy "surrounds" cracked me up, but the most incongruous feature of all was the white, curlicued almost New Orleans-style wrought iron in the bar area. Was our taste really that bad in the 70s? LOL

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  4. DearHelenHartman15 March 2011 at 00:41

    Plush'n'plastic - my idea of seck-seee! First, have to say the couple in the first pic with outfits that match their 'vette? They are not there to attend a church retreat - desk clerk, check for wedding rings!
    Yes, Dana, my mom and I lived in a house with brown shag carpet, orange Brady Bunch counters and a giant round fireplace with a suspended chimney and everything thought we were COOL!

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  5. miss jille15 March 2011 at 01:26

    I kind of love the Gobbler :) There was something in Atomic Ranch about this place that got my interest but I forgot to look it up, so thanks for sharing the link!

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  6. Anonymous15 March 2011 at 02:13

    I love it!!! I would so take a road trip to Wisconsin if it was still open.

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  7. MoonDoggie15 March 2011 at 07:15

    re artwork: I should clarify - I meant that the stone/rock exterior that I love so much in the illustrations didn't look so great in reality.
    However, on closer inspection, the rocks near the steps look a bit different and may have been added at a later date.

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