Phoenix, AZ - The following is a tribute to the Log Cabin Motel, which was one of the last remaining original motels along Van Buren St. in Phoenix, AZ.

Log Cabin Motel
Phoenix, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

There was nothing subtle about the Log Cabin Motel on Van Buren Street in Phoenix. The place looked as though a little piece of Flagstaff had somehow landed in the middle of the desert. Rustic cabins, knotty pine interiors, a tall roadside sign, and plenty of western roadside character made this one difficult to forget.

The motel opened in 1939 as the Log Cabin Auto Court. At the time, Van Buren Street carried U.S. 60, 70, and 80 through Phoenix. Travelers heading across Arizona passed mile after mile of motor courts, restaurants, gas stations, and neon signs. Long before the freeways arrived, this was Phoenix’s Motel Row.

Van Buren St. which cuts through Phoenix is well known for having been the main drag through town once upon a time. The old businesses along the route were bypassed when the interstate came through and left to decay.

Log Cabin Motel
Phoenix, AZ
Photo courtesy Scott Broadhurst

The Log Cabin stood apart from all those neighboring motels because it actually tried to look like its name. The buildings were painted in deep redwood colors and designed to resemble rustic mountain cabins. Inside, the knotty pine walls continued the theme. It must have been an unusual sight for travelers arriving after hours of driving through cactus and desert.

One of the notable motels along Van Buren was the Log Cabin Motel. With its log cabin themed lodging rooms, the motel was once a nice stop to spend a night while visiting the city. Who could reside lodging in a themed motel with a name like log cabin.

Log Cabin Motel
Phoenix, AZ
Photo courtesy Scott Broadhurst

The owners added even more attractions during the 1950s. A working water wheel turned beside the courtyard swimming pool, bringing another little touch of the mountains to downtown Phoenix. The motel also offered a putting green and shuffleboard courts for guests who somehow still had energy after a long day on the road.

Then there was the polar bear.

A life-sized polar bear statue stood near the pool, which makes perfect sense at a log cabin in the Arizona desert. The gift shop sold cactus candy, while a talking black mynah bird entertained visitors. Between the cabins, water wheel, polar bear, and chatty bird, the Log Cabin had enough going on to keep a family occupied without ever leaving the property.

Log Cabin Motel Cabins
Phoenix, AZ
Photo courtesy Scott Broadhurst

This kind of roadside showmanship was common along Van Buren. Every motel needed something memorable to separate it from the next row of rooms down the street. Some used giant arrows, diving women, animated neon, or Space Age architecture. The Log Cabin created its own little wilderness resort.

For many years, it worked. The motel welcomed generations of tourists, traveling salespeople, snowbirds, and families crossing Arizona. Guests could pull directly in from Van Buren and park beside their cabin, then cool off in the pool while the neon signs came alive along the boulevard.

A notable article in the Phoenix New Times was this fascinating story about the experience that a reporter had spending the night in the Log Cabin motel. one summer evening. The experience relayed in this article was something that could have been also described a stay these days at old downtown motels in many cities and towns, where time has marched on.

Log Cabin Motel seen heading east on Van Buren
Phoenix, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The completion of Interstate 10 gradually pulled highway traffic away from Van Buren Street. Many of the old motor courts lost their tourist customers and shifted to weekly rentals or other uses. Some were remodeled beyond recognition. Others were abandoned, burned, or demolished. The Log Cabin survived longer than most, but its mountain-retreat appearance slowly faded as the surrounding corridor declined.

One of the notable motels along Van Buren was the Log Cabin Motel. With its log cabin themed lodging rooms, the motel was once a nice stop to spend a night while visiting the city. Who could reside lodging in a themed motel with a name like log cabin.

By the early 2000s, the motel looked tired and much of its original roadside sparkle was gone. Even so, the cabins and sign remained recognizable. There was still enough left to imagine the days when families gathered around the pool, the water wheel turned, and a polar bear watched over the Phoenix sunshine.

A view looking up the driveway
Phoenix, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

That ended in July 2010. Demolition crews tore down the cabins and cleared the motel property. The roadside sign disappeared along with the buildings. It is not known whether the polar bear or water wheel was saved before the bulldozers arrived.

UPDATE: The Log Cabin Motel is completely gone, and its former Van Buren Street property remains an empty dirt lot. One of Phoenix’s quirkiest roadside landmarks has been reduced to old photographs, postcards, and memories of a talking bird and a polar bear beside a desert swimming pool. 08-26

UPDATE: Here are more photos of the Log Cabin Motel as it underwent demolition. Many thanks to Elgin MacMillan for photos. 07-13

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