Petrified Forest Lodge

On the corner of Guadalupe and 45th St, where a Wal-Greens now sits, use to stand the awesome Petrified Forest Lodge. I used to drive by the place twice a day. The sight of it would feed my imagination and I'd often think of those people who drove in and out of the place. I'd wonder what Austin was like back then and how 45th street was the outskirts of town. It reminded me of the motel in the film Niagra.

It's too bad the lasting reminder couldn't be the Petrified Forest Lodge restored and used as shops, a cool coffee house, pub, offices or even a motel again. Hugo Kuehne was the founding dean of the University of Texas School of Architecture and designed the Ritz Theatre, now the Alamo Ritz on 6th St. (tres grateful for that restoration)