Tucson Inn facts for kids

Tucson Inn
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Location	127 West Drachman Street, Tucson, Arizona
Area	1.19 acres (0.48 ha)
Built	1953
Architect	Anne Rysdale
Architectural style	Googie, Modernism
Part of	Miracle Mile Historic District (ID100001208)
MPS	Miracle Mile Historic District
Quick facts for kids Significant dates
Designated CP	December 11, 2017

The Tucson Inn is a famous motel in Tucson, Arizona. It's part of an area called the Miracle Mile Historic District. This motel was built in 1953. It shows off cool styles like Googie architecture and Modernism. It's a great example of how motels looked in the 1950s.

This motel was built to welcome travelers. Many people were driving across the country on old highways like U.S. Route 80 and U.S. Route 89. The Tucson Inn was one of the biggest motels in Tucson when it opened. It was designed by Anne Jackson Rysdale. She was the only female architect in Arizona at that time.

The motel had a modern look with a super cool neon sign. It offered many nice things for guests. There were 65 rooms, a heated swimming pool, a fancy restaurant, and a coffee shop. Later, a big highway called Interstate 10 was built. This made the old highways less popular. But the Tucson Inn and its famous sign stayed strong.

History of the Tucson Inn

The Tucson Inn was designed by architect Anne Jackson Rysdale. She planned it as a two-story, U-shaped motel. This design was popular for motels across the country after World War II. After the war, Americans had more money and felt hopeful. More people started traveling by car.

This led to many new motels being built. The Tucson Inn was part of this new trend. It offered better services than older motels. It wanted to attract more car tourists.

The opening of the Tucson Inn was a big deal for Tucson. Newspapers wrote many stories about it. In November 1952, a newspaper said it would be a "real showplace." It was going to be the only two-story motel in Tucson. It would have a covered balcony and 24-hour service.

When it opened in January 1953, the Tucson Inn had many features. It was a half-million-dollar motel. It had 63 rooms with different bed types. Each room had a dressing area and a closet. Some rooms had full bathrooms, others had showers.

There was a 24-hour phone service to all rooms. Each room also had a radio. Guests could listen to Tucson stations or music from the main office. A separate building held the dining room and coffee shop. The coffee shop was open all day and night.

The dining rooms had big windows. These windows looked out over the heated swimming pool. There was also a nice outdoor area for relaxing. The dining rooms were open to everyone, not just motel guests. The new inn had 30 staff members.

By 1954, the owners planned to make the motel even bigger. They added the Tucson Inn Annex. By 1956, the motel grew from 65 rooms to 205 rooms. A company called Manger Hotel Corporation bought the Inn in 1960. They paid two million dollars for it.

By 1960, the motel had four dining rooms, two kitchens, a coffee shop, and a lounge. But over time, the area became less popular. The large expansion was taken down. Only the original buildings remained.

The motel was also home to the Bagdad Room. This was a bar and restaurant. Famous people performed there. Many Western film stars stayed at the motel. They were often filming movies at Old Tucson Studios. Famous writers like Ernest Hemingway also stayed there.

Saving the Tucson Inn

The Tucson Inn is now a special building. It's part of the Miracle Mile Historic District. In 2018, it was saved from being torn down. Pima Community College bought the motel. They promised to keep and fix up the building. This helps make sure this historic motel stays around for a long time.