Blue Whale development proposal includes Airbnbs, mini golf, trails and more
This is what an upgraded Blue Whale roadside attraction could look like, according to a rendering from Hampton Creative. Courtesy, Hampton Creative
From the Tulsa World: A development proposal suggests significant upgrades could be possible for the Blue Whale, a Route 66 attraction in Catoosa.
Hampton Creative, a Tulsa-based independent branding agency, created a master site plan that was shared this week with city officials at a park board meeting.
“I’ve been on the park board about two years, and this is something we have been talking about for a year and a half or longer, trying to kind of take the Blue Whale park to the next level before the (Route 66) centennial shows up here in 2026,” City Councilor Kyle Gibson said, adding that the park board has the support of the mayor and the City Council.
‘Hotel Kitsch’ uncovers the whimsical world of adults-only fantasy getaways
Oasis of Eden, Yucca Valley, CA (Photograph by Margaret and Corey Bienert)
From Wallpaper.com: In an age where luxury living centres on the elegance of crisp white cotton bedsheets and sleek, monochromatic furniture, it may come as a surprise to some that there is a maximalist hospitality trend powering through. The comeback of kitschy styles is imminent, and it challenges all minimal design ethos by embracing the extravagant and indulgent aesthetics of the yesteryears.
Margaret and Corey Bienert, the couple behind the social media sensation ‘A Pretty Cool Hotel Tour’, have documented this movement in their newly unveiled book, Hotel Kitsch: A Pretty Cool Tour of America’s Fantasy Getaways. Boasting over two million followers across Instagram and TikTok, the Bienerts are photographers and avid sightseers reigniting the spirit of pop culture, romance, and a hint of ‘kinkiness’ in the travel world.
Historic Gordon gas station saved from demolition
From WDIO: A historic gas station is Gordon, Wisc. has found a new home in the center of town.
The garage was a catalog order from the 1930s, and the Gordon-Wascott Historical says they moved it to save it from demolition.
Now that it’s in its new spot- it will become the ‘Gordon Station’- an ice cream parlor and gift shop.
Preserving Dinkytown: Commercial Historic District design guidelines spark conversation and concern
Varsity Theater (left), Blarney Pub and Grill (bottom right) and the one story brick building on the northwest corner of 4th St SE and 14th Ave SE (top right), on November 6, 2023. Image by Grace Aigner
From The Minnesota Daily: The Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) department held a community engagement meeting on Thursday evening at the Arvonne Fraser Library in Dinkytown to discuss the draft guidelines for the Dinkytown Commercial Historic District.
Minneapolis city planners Robert Skalecki and Erin Que led the meeting, presented the draft design guidelines and answered questions from community members.
Minneapolis City Council approved the Dinkytown Commercial Historic District designation in 2015. Revolving around the intersection of Fourth Street SE and 14th Street SE, the district includes 35 properties constructed from 1899 to 1929 — the period of importance as outlined in the draft.
However, the city council-approved period of importance is only a portion of the original period proposed in 2015, which extended to 1972.
Roadside Ghosts: Indiana’s Abandoned 1950s Diner
Photo by George LaPlante
From WROK: From once serving delicious biscuits and gravy to travelers, to now sitting abandoned on the side of the road, these photos flawlessly capture this aging treasure.
There’s just something so beautifully tragic about seeing an abandoned building. I t’s almost like seeing a ghost because in abandoned places you usually see time almost standing still. In the case of the diner in this article, what was once a place where family and friends gathered for a delicious meal, sits trapped in time while slowly being overtaken by nature.
In Clarks Hill, Indiana on U.S. 52 sits an old diner that looks like it jumped right out of a movie about the 1950s. This diner opened in the early 1950s as the Rose Haven Diner and continued to operate for more than 50 years under different names.
The iconic ‘Wendover Will’ is getting a facelift
From Fox 13: WEST WENDOVER, Nevada — At 71 years old, Wendover Will needed a little facelift.
“We don’t want to change him that much. I mean, he’s iconic the way he is,” said West Wendover Mayor Jasie Holm. “The paint, and he’s 71 years old. Everything needs a little updating.”
The 68-foot tall statue, which used to greet gamblers at the Utah-Nevada border, is famous. It was one of the first Nevada signs the Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO) created back in the 1950s with his neon wink and moving cigarette.