Indianhead Motel

  I’ve been going to share this story for quite a while – you know how I love sharing random, boring tales of my life. But, since I just finished writing about my weekend in Chippewa Falls this May, I thought I’d tell you about the first time I spent the night there.

I was in my second year of college when my friend and I decided to spend spring break at her sister’s house in Rochester, Minnesota. So yes, while all the other college kids were going to Florida or Texas or Virginia Beach, we went to Minnesota to get away from winter weather. That worked so well for us.

My friend’s brother picked us up at our dorm on Saturday morning. If I remember correctly, he had been on spring break the previous week and was heading back to college himself – veterinarian school – I have no idea where – but he was willing to deliver us to their sister in Rochester on his way.

Of course, it was starting to snow when we slid into his car early that morning. As we began the drive west, the snow fell heavier and heavier. The vehicle was soon crawling down the highway. Finally, after four hours of that, when we had only gone ninety miles or so, we decided that we needed to hang it up. There was no way we would make it to Rochester by dark at that rate.

We pulled off the highway at Chippewa Falls and checked into the first motel we saw – the Indianhead Motel. We got one room, with two double beds. Remember, we were all starving college students. I can’t remember what we did all afternoon in that uncomfortably small room, while snow continued to fall. But by late in the day, when the snow finally lessened, we ventured out to the Catholic church for Saturday night mass, picked up some fast food, and went back to the room to eat while we watched the movie “The Jazz Singer” with Neil Diamond.

That night, I slept closest to the window in the bed with my friend, while her brother slept on the far side of the other bed. I’m sure one of them called their sister to tell her of our delay; I don’t remember if I called home or not. This was way before cell phones. 

In the morning, we brushed the snow off the car and finished the two-hour drive to Rochester. The weather was a little better, but not warm enough to go swimming outside. Good thing we were able to use the indoor pool on the top floor of the Kahler Hotel.

Over the years, I’ve driven through or past Chippewa Falls many, many times. But every time I looked for the Indianhead sign. Yes, the little two-star motel is still there. I can’t believe I don’t have a picture of the outside.