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| Space Age Lodge, Gila Bend |
The Space Age Lodge opened in 1965 and was one of five futuristic-themed motels created by Al Stovall. A personal friend of President Eisenhower, Stovall owned a copper mine and a plastics factory and supplied both to the government during World War Two.
Other Stovall lodges included the "Inn of Tomorrow", the "Cosmic Inn", "The Galaxy", and another Space Age Lodge (all of these in Anaheim, California). The Gila Bend lodge is said to be the last to retain its novel, spacey appearance. Carole and Duke Fox, part-owners with the Stovall family, began managing the motel in 1977. In the mid 1980s, Best Western required the Lodge to update it's look to maintain it's franchise membership, but the Fox's were careful not to abandon the UFO, space theme.
The Space Age Lodge is still open and operating in Gila Bend--check it out!
