The Tiki Resort, Lake George, NY (motel) - Locating Tiki

OGR Or Got Rum? Tiki Socialite Wisconsin Joined: Jul 29, 2009 Posts: 691	OGR Or Got Rum? Posted posted on Fri, Dec 11, 2009 2:06 PM Some info on the original owner of the Tiki Motor Inn aka Tiki Resort...... Charles R. Wood (1914-2004). Known as the “Father of Theme Parks, ” Charles Wood founded Storytown, USA in 1954 in Lake George. An opportunist and brilliant businessman, Wood continued building on the park throughout his life, later renaming it The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom. Wood built Gaslight Village, the Tiki Resort, the Blacksmith Shop, Cavalcade of Cars, and a wax museum, all in the Lake George area. He served as the President of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions in 1977 and was inducted into its Hall of Fame. Wood became one of the area ’s greatest philanthropists, contributing to The Hyde Collection, the Charles R. Wood Theater, and an unprecedented $1.4 million to the cancer center at the Glens Falls Hospital. His greatest act of charity was the opening of the Double H-Hole in the Woods Ranch in Lake Luzerne, a camp for terminally ill children that he co-founded with Paul Newman. Charles Wood survived five heart attacks throughout his lifetime, but he lost his battle with cancer on September 30, 2004 at the age of 90. Near Gaslight Village, Charley opened the Tiki Resort, a Polynesian-themed motel, restaurant, and nightclub that he remembers nostalgically. In contrast to fairy tale Storytown, the Tiki nightlife was a little outrageous, with the adult repartee of Sophie Tucker-style Hurricane Hattie and the boldly displayed physical assets of the Hawaiian performer, Kaena. The bartender, says Charley, was a woman named Lani, whom he describes as having “the biggest bosoms in the country. She made a mint of money. She’d put her boobs right up on the counter and say, ‘What can I help you with?’” Charley opened another steak house called The Blacksmith Shop with a motif that combined western with Lil’ Abner. “I had fun there, because the girls were nice, and I put these short skirts on ’em and made ’em a Daisy Mae,” says Charley. He also opened the Cavalcade of Cars and a wax museum. From the Lake George, NY official site .......He later sold the Tiki and the Blacksmith Shop to Howard Johnson's in the late 60's. OGR

Some info on the original owner of the Tiki Motor Inn aka Tiki Resort......

Charles R. Wood (1914-2004). Known as the “Father of Theme Parks, ” Charles Wood founded Storytown, USA in 1954 in Lake George. An opportunist and brilliant businessman, Wood continued building on the park throughout his life, later renaming it The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom. Wood built Gaslight Village, the Tiki Resort, the Blacksmith Shop, Cavalcade of Cars, and a wax museum, all in the Lake George area. He served as the President of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions in 1977 and was inducted into its Hall of Fame. Wood became one of the area ’s greatest philanthropists, contributing to The Hyde Collection, the Charles R. Wood Theater, and an unprecedented $1.4 million to the cancer center at the Glens Falls Hospital. His greatest act of charity was the opening of the Double H-Hole in the Woods Ranch in Lake Luzerne, a camp for terminally ill children that he co-founded with Paul Newman. Charles Wood survived five heart attacks throughout his lifetime, but he lost his battle with cancer on September 30, 2004 at the age of 90.

Near Gaslight Village, Charley opened the Tiki Resort, a Polynesian-themed motel, restaurant, and nightclub that he remembers nostalgically. In contrast to fairy tale Storytown, the Tiki nightlife was a little outrageous, with the adult repartee of Sophie Tucker-style Hurricane Hattie and the boldly displayed physical assets of the Hawaiian performer, Kaena. The bartender, says Charley, was a woman named Lani, whom he describes as having “the biggest bosoms in the country. She made a mint of money. She’d put her boobs right up on the counter and say, ‘What can I help you with?’”

Charley opened another steak house called The Blacksmith Shop with a motif that combined western with Lil’ Abner. “I had fun there, because the girls were nice, and I put these short skirts on ’em and made ’em a Daisy Mae,” says Charley. He also opened the Cavalcade of Cars and a wax museum.

From the Lake George, NY official site

.......He later sold the Tiki and the Blacksmith Shop to Howard Johnson's in the late 60's. OGR

Post #498581 by Or Got Rum? on Fri, Dec 11, 2009 2:06 PM