The Fallen Snowflake
(photos by Lee Bey)
Historian Tim Samuelson years ago told me about the Snowflake Motel, a bit of early 1960s whimsy near St. Joseph, MI that was designed by Taliesin fellow and Frank Lloyd Wright son-in-law William Wesley Peters. I didnt actually see the place until 2005 when I snapped these hasty photos, noting its saw-tooth roofline, domed entry court and siteplan were reminscent of snowflakes. The motel was clearly down on its heels, but operational. I figured I'd come back and take some better pix. Looks like I'll have to make do with these. The Snowflake was demolished earlier this year.
Read more about the motel's history in this great piece by Sandy McLendon in Chicagoan Joe Kunkel's addictive online magazine Jetset Modern. This 2002 story in The Believer magazine ain't bad either. Wish I had better photos, is all.
