Buildings shaped like unusual objects are part of the Southern California experience.
What could be more than sleeping in a hotel room shaped like an actual Tee Pee?
That kind of building is called programmatic architecture, although it has other names. Some people call it novelty architecture. And some people call it weird.
It began with the car culture of the early 20th century, said Adrian Scott Fine, director of advocacy for the Los Angeles Conservancy, a non-profit organization that preserves and protects significant buildings.
“It was an effort to stand out and look different from everything else and draw you in. It was just an early form of advertising using architecture and quirky building design for people to take notice and get off the roadway and explore it.”
the Wigwam Motel in Rialto, California is one of seven Wigwam Motels originally built. Three of the original seven still remain: the one in Rialto; one in Holbrook, Arizona; and one in Cave City, Kentucky.
But many buildings that are still around are endangered.
“A lot of these were built on what’s become very valuable land,” he said. “If they’ve managed to survive up to now, they’re still probably at risk.”
Nevertheless, there are still plenty of programmatic buildings in Southern California, just waiting for your selfies.
Here are a few to look for.
Cabazon dinosaurs: Two giant prehistoric creatures called Dinny and Mr. Rex stand in desert community of Cabazon along the 10 Freeway east of Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa. They were created by Knott’s Berry Farm artist Claude K. Bell. Dinny is a 45-foot-high, 150-foot-long, 150-ton Apatosaurus made of steel and concrete in the late 1960s. The 65-foot Tyrannosaurus joined him in 1981. The site is famed for its appearance in the 1985 film “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.” cabazondinosaurs.com
World’s Largest Paper Cup: The three-story replica of a wax-coated paper cup stands at 800 E. Citrus St., Riverside, which used to be the site of a 50-acre plant for the Sweetheart Cup Co., which closed in 1997. The cup remains, but is fenced off in an overgrown lot.
Eddie World: Self-described as California’s gas station, this tourist attraction off of the 15 Freeway in Yermo opened in 2018. It features a candy factory and three eateries as well as a convenience store. A 65-foot water tower on a corner of the property is decorated like an ice cream treat. Eddie World’s website calls it a sundae but some people on social media think it’s a milkshake. eddieworld.com
Orange Stand: Orange-shaped citrus stands used to be a common sight on California highways in the 1920s and ‘30s.Few remain. This 7-foot structure was moved onto the property of a 1930s restaurant at 15395 Foothill Blvd. It is now called Bono’s Italian Restaurant & Deli and is in the National Register of Historic Places. bonositalia.com
Wigwam Motel: The piece of Route 66 history was built in 1949 on the border of San Bernardino and Rialto. It features guest rooms with queen-size beds in tent-shaped structures. Rates start at $104 a night, according to the motel’s website.
Cucamonga Service Station: The Last Station reminiscent of the Roadside Architecture of the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s some of which still exists today in Rancho Cucamonga. It was built by Henry Klusman, a recognized local citizen, during the early years of Cucamonga. The Hugh Larson Ford Repair building stood in place of the station in 1914, but eventually the large wooden structure was moved to the rear of the lot. For more information go to https://route66ieca.org/servicestation
1st Ever McDonalds: This is the site of the first McDonald’s that was open in 1940, but the property has since been purchased by the owner of local chicken restaurant Juan Pollo and converted into a museum. It is always debated as to whether this location is the first, since the Des Plaines McDonalds in Illinois also claims that, but the Illinois one was opened 15 years after this original one.
Redlands Train Depot: Redlands, in San Bernardino County, is one of the oldest cities in California. Named for its rich, red soil, it sits halfway between Los Angeles and Palm Springs, in the shadow of Southern California’s highest peaks. Learn more here.
San Bernardino Santa Fe Train Depot: The San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot is a Mission Revival Style passenger rail terminal in San Bernardino, California, United States. It has been the primary station for the city, serving Amtrak today, and the Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroads in the past.
Kimberly Crest House: Kimberly Crest House and Gardens is a French château-style Victorian mansion listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Later purchased by J. Alfred Kimberly of Kimberly-Clark fame, the Kimberly Crest House was originally built by Cornelia Ann Jordan, who came from a wealthy east coast family. Want to know more got to this site.
California Theater: California Theater for the Performing Arts, in downtown San Bernardino. Per Wikipedia, the theater opened in 1928 as a Fox theater and contains its original Wurlitzer organ.