I took these photos over a year ago - went to Cherokee North Carolina for a Native American Powwow. Cherokee is a beautiful place - a mix of 50's nostalgia and 90's casino. At one time the town was on a commonly traveled state road, since replaced by Interstate Highways. Because of this, the town is in a state of suspended animation - basically many small motels were built in the 50's and 60's to house travellers coming across the Appalachian Mountains. Once the Interstates were built the travel slowed to the point where the town was still self-sustaining, but did not prosper to the point where new buildings replaced old. Thus many of the themed motels are still standing virtually untouched.
The windy roads through the mountains attract many travellers on motor bikes and classic car clubs. There aren't many places like this left in the US - I hope Cherokee remains pristine (even with the influence of the nearby Indian Casino). A great blend of mid-century modern and classic googie, I look forward to the next visit.
-- John
1 comment:
Great photos and info regarding Cherokee. It looks like a great place to visit if you enjoy classic roadside architecture.
Thanks for posting this.
Jeff
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