Fairwinds Motel, Arcata, CA (motel)

Name:Fairwinds Motel
Type:motel
Street:1674 G Street
City:Arcata
State:CA
Zip:95521
country:USA
Phone:822-4824
Status:operational

Description:
Cool-looking dingbat roadside Motel within walking distance of Humboldt State University. Vertical outrigger beams (yes, vertical) rise above the second story roofline while the office and small porte cochere sports three horizontal beams. the four posts that support this buildings roof are full size carved Tikis in the California style. A rock planter and small rock wall round out the Tikiness of the facade.

I read on a real estate site that this business was established in 1975. I don't know if that's when it was built or when it changed ownership, probably the latter cause it looks early 1960s to me.

The first postcard shown below was sold to me by Ezra from Santa Rosa. He said he drove by the motel and saw the Tikis and then got the postcard.

This postcard is obviously later than the second one judging by the landscaping and the cars in the lot.

Published by Shoreline Productions Arcata, Calif. 95521
Made by Dexter Press, Inc.
West Nyack, New York

Found this postcard on ebay. Obviously much earlier by the cars and landscaping. Although it's dated 1978 we can only be certain that it is later than 1970 based on the phone number.

I emailed the hotel and asked about the Tikis and if the hotel had had other Tiki aspects like a Tiki bar originally. They said: "we don't exactly know why the original builder/owner carved it like that, but we don't have a Tiki bar and the name has always been the Fairwinds Motel since it was built."

A respondent from the local Arcata historical society said the hotel hadn't changed in the past two decades and recommended looking historical records at Humboldt State - anyone know any Humboldt students?

Back of postcard states "david a swanlund, eureka, ca"

[ Edited by: Otto 2013-10-07 23:59 ]

found this on Flickr, looks like a postcard (due to the angle/composition and the fact that it has a coarse line screen) and looks to be even later than the first postcard due to the car in lot (mid 1970s era car?), the continued growth/deterioration of landscaping, and addition of DO NOT ENTER sign.

Note dingbat logo signage is still on side of office rock wall

more recent images with blue paint job and office dingbat gone, vertical outrigger beams trimmed off, zigzag railings on the balcony replaced, and the two large wooden screens are gone

[ Edited by: Otto 2013-10-08 00:27 ]

Google map images dated Feb 2011