Before It Disappears - Tumble Inn

Tumble Inn
Powder River, WY
September 2014
Powder River is a small, dying town, but it used to have two restaurants, a motel, a gas station, etc. Now all that remains is an elementary school, a post office and some private homes.

I can't recall ever going inside the Tumble Inn, but it used to be quite a hopping place, the only "watering hole" between Shoshoni and Casper. It closed about 15 - 20 years ago, but it remains alongside the highway as a reminder of days gone by.

Last week, I stopped to take a photo before it disappears or lives up to its name and actually "tumbles in."


Another popular pit-stop in Powder River in the 50s and 60s for teetotalers was Romeo and Juliet's, a restaurant located just to the east of the Tumble Inn. It was a good place to stop for a meal, a cup of coffee, or a piece of pie on the journey home. Romeo and Juliet's was leveled either in the 70s or 80s.


Comments

  1. Yes, that's been a familiar sight for decades! It's looking pretty shabby, eh? I'd hate to see in "tumble in."

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  2. Have you heard of Charles Phoenix? http://www.charlesphoenix.com/ He collects slides--mainly from the 50s and 60s--and puts together various slide shows highlighting architecture of that time. He would love to see this!

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  3. It's always sad to see these buildings just falling apart. But don't you just imagine what it was like in its hayday? Thanks for capturing a little history. We see similar sites all over the country don't we?

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  4. A piece of Americana that will probably not last long. I love the humor of the sign --- sort of like the Dew Drop Inn.

    Our local historic museum is trying to purchase signs from iconic Orlando businesses that no longer exist. The local Pontiac dealer had quite a sign back in the day.

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  5. Interesting post Nancy. At least they are not lit on fire ! Tumble Inn is a darling name

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  6. Fun post, Nancy! Times do change things, eh?

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  7. I love those wonderful restaurants and lounges of the past. Today's just aren't the same! Thanks for sharing these memories.

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  8. So much character. So sad that sooner or later, it will be gone completely.

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  9. We saw the Tumble inn as we were driving to Yellowstone. Would have love to see it when it as a "going concern".

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  10. Saw the Tumble Inn last summer as we went through there. Neat looking place!

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  11. I worked in the oil fields from 1979 to 1985 and I used to pull my old 1971 Peterbilt up there and have dinner once in awhile, a friendly place, usually I would stop at the Waltman store west of there and have great chili and coffee too. Happy Trails

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    1. Did they have a wall full of business cards from people from all over who had stopped there? If so, this is where we waited while the tour bus we were on, which had broken down, got fixed (back in about 1982).

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    2. Waltman used to also have very good pie. We used to stop there occasionally when I was a National Guardsman if we were going back and forth to Rawlins.

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  12. My wife and I stopped here in 2004, on our way home from Sturgis.The owner made us supper and gave us a bed of straw to sleep on under our tent.It was one heck of a nite. Made lots of memories. Thanks a lot, Leo and Kayla very disappointed you're closed now. So sorry this happened to your family. Thanks again

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  13. I moved to Casper in 1977 to build houses during that oil boom.Bud owned it then.Daryl Pike, an electrician, that did our electrical work, lived in Powder river with his wife Dolly. My brother Jeff and used go out there every month or so. Met some good friends and interesting people there. Hell's half acre was also a neat place.

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    1. Daryl’s grandfather homesteaded a place about 30+ miles outside of the town of Powder River. At one time he walked 30+ miles to Casper, can’t remember why. Daryl, Cleo Corkill, my brother Jeff and I, hunted deer, elk and chukar on their land plus several horseshoe games and plenty of beer. Great memories.

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  14. My grandfather owned this at one point. And my father and his siblings grew up living in the back. Until they built a house out in the country. A lot of memories in that old building.

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  15. The Tumble Inn still stands. I drove by this week.

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