Historic Wigwam village in Cave City preserving nearly 90 years of history
CAVE CITY, Ky. — A roadside piece of Kentucky history continues to stand tall in Cave City nearly nine decades after first welcoming travelers.
Built in 1937, Historic Wigwam Village No. 2 opened during the early years of the American road trip, when families were beginning to travel long distances by automobile. Today, the teepee-shaped motel remains one of only three surviving Wigwam Villages left in the country.
Owner Keith Stone said the Cave City landmark is the oldest surviving Wigwam Village and served as the model for the rest of the franchise.
“This was built in 1937. It’s 89 years old, and there were seven of these built between 1935 and 1950,” Stone said. “Of the seven, only three of them are left… This is the oldest surviving one, and this was the model for the rest of the franchise.”
The village was created by Kentucky native Frank Redford, who grew up in nearby Horse Cave and patented the unique design. Located along old Highway 31-W near Mammoth Cave, the motel became a popular stop for travelers heading north and south before the interstate system changed travel routes.
Stone said what visitors may see as novelty today was once considered luxury.
“When this was built in 1937, Frank Redford advertised it as having private tiled bathrooms with hot and cold water and innerspring mattresses,” Stone said. “This was luxury for that day.”
He explained that during the 1930s, many travelers still camped along roadsides or stayed in primitive auto camps, making a motel room with indoor plumbing and modern comforts a major attraction.
Though the motel’s restaurant and gas station closed after Interstate 65 bypassed Dixie Highway in the 1970s, the 15-unit motel endured. Stone and his wife, Megan, purchased the property in 2020 after stumbling upon it during a Labor Day getaway.
“When we bought it, it was in very, very bad shape,” Stone said. “Probably wouldn’t have survived another two years.”
Since then, restoration efforts have focused on preserving the village’s historic character while making repairs to aging structures. Stone said four wigwams are currently undergoing more extensive restoration under guidelines tied to the property’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
“These are on the National Register of Historic Places, and so we’re following a very strict plan to restore these,” Stone said. “When they’re done, they will look exactly like they did in ‘37.”
Many original elements remain, including furniture built for the Wigwam Villages nearly a century ago. Stone said the goal is to preserve not only the structures themselves, but also a piece of Americana tied to the rise of automobile travel.
Nearly 90 years after travelers first pulled off the highway to spend the night in a concrete teepee, Wigwam Village continues to offer a glimpse into a different era of Kentucky road travel.
