Auto Touring - Continued

Cabins, Cottages & Amenities

The tourist camp, where travelers packed along all of their amenities from tents, to cots to cook stoves, soon evolved into tourist cabins or tourist cottages. Auto camping proved to be a fad, as travelers desired more convenience with less work. Many of the early auto cabins were simply wooden tents with dirt floors in which travelers would provide their own amenities. Tourists soon learned accommodations that were affordable and comfortable were much more desirable than packing and unpacking at each daily destination. As roads improved, railroad crossings were eliminated, and automobiles had more powerful engines, tourists lost sight of the idea of traveling as a process; people were interested in traveling longer distances in a day. Camping cabins helped them achieve their goal of making miles each day. Auto cabins offered basic necessities for life on the road at prices comparable to automobile tourist camps.

In the 1930s, the Steele Tourist Camp owned by C.J. Foye, was sold to Frank Gebhard. At this time the manager of the camp, C.J.’s brother, John, built several cabins and a gas station. In the 1940s, Gebhard sold the cabins to Harry Anderson who renamed it Anderson’s Cabins and proved to have a thriving business until the highway was re-routed a half-mile north of the town of Steele. The smallest cabins were sold in 1963 and a motel was built in 1964.

Cabin camps offered solid structures to protect families against inclement weather, easy access via automobile, free parking, and an informal atmosphere. Most cabin camps offered public showers and toilets so camaraderie of the camp was still a possibility. Unlike tourist camps, where life at the camp took place publicly, in cabin camps, there was the possibility of having a mostly private stay as cooking and sleeping could be done within the walls of the cabin.

Cottage courts, also called tourist courts, became profitable during the Great Depression as automobile tourism continued despite economic down turn. It became profitable to set up a gas pump and small tourist cabins while living the American dream of home life and business on the same site.These cabins were arranged around a court area and unlike hotels, located at the center of town, tourist cottages were located on the outskirts of town, which proved them automobile friendly.

Motor courts (or motels as we know them) soon started competing with cottage cabins. Motor courts were still mom and pop organizations without the isolation of individual cottages. The motor court maintained local charm and individuality while having all rooms under one roof. Motor courts were automobile accessible; autos could be driven to the door of the room rented. Brand name consciousness started during the Great Depression as entrepreneurs entered the hospitality business. By standardizing amenities, such as name brand mattresses, guests felt at home away from home.

Home Sweet Home Cabin Camp, located on East Main Street in West Fargo was one of these tourist cabin camps. Ervin and Myrtle Trapp, originally from Karnak, ND moved to this location in West Fargo in 1936. Initially inspired by their son, who operated a successful tourist camp in Alexandria, MN, the Trapps established Home Sweet Home Cabin Camp and General Store in 1936. Some of the cabins were a collection of buildings moved to the site from other locations while others were built on site. Among those moved to the site and used for tourist cabins were a railroad cook car, an agricultural building, a workshop/garage and a chicken coop. In addition, two retail buildings were moved to the location and a second floor was added to both. One of the buildings was converted to an eight room tourist cabin each with its own bathroom. The main floor of the second building was used as owner’s residence with the second floor rented to tourists.

Presently there are thirteen structures in the complex; originally there were many more. According to the site file located at the North Dakota State Historical Preservation Office, there were three cabins with carports, a communal building, and a wooden floored tent that contained two cots and a washbasin located on the complex.

 

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