Pappe Motel - Kingfisher, Okla.

PAPPE MOTEL -

Here are the last photos ever taken of the former Pappe Motel in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, just prior to its demolition in 2007. The building was recognizable due to its roughly 45-degree angled construction in relation to Main Street (U.S.) 81 at its east end. The top image is the very pointy southeast corner of the old motel, which was only about 30 feet from the highway. The bottom image is from the opposite (square) end of the building, looking east.

Also included is a Google Earth satellite image of the building when it was still standing. This has been provided so that the building's shape in relation to the neighboring highway can be best understood.

The building had been abandoned for years and originally consisted of other structures. The motel has been known previously as the "Pappe Tourist Cabins," and "Pappe Travel Court," a collection of quaint tourist bungalows. A photo postcard from 1940 is seen here, showing the property as "Pappe's Tourist Cabins."

According to Kingfisher Historian John Gilmour, the building was originally longer, but was modified and shortened due to a change in the width of Main Street (US Highway 81). He also tells why the building was set at the odd angle: Kingfisher Creek originally ran to the southwest side of the property, but was altered to run farther to the west.

Do you have other photos or history on this location? Email it to KingCoHistory@yahoo.com.

Photos by Jeremy A. Ingle, KingCoHistory

Postcard: KCHR Collection

Updated 12-11-2009