History Archives - Rankin Motel

Our Story Continues

By Jenny Groom on October 5, 2014 / Events, History, Lodging, Recreation, Uncategorized, Vacation / Leave a comment

I can’t remember a more beautiful fall season. The dazzling golds and reds make sitting around the fire-pit in the evening light a special treat. Unusual heavy rains this fall have kept the lawns beautiful and green but have wreaked havoc on harvesting for local farmers. Crop damage equates to smaller potatoes and grain yields to harvest. .

We planted a new generation of trees this past week. The cut-leaf weeping birch trees that my dad “Barney” planted some 40 years ago (I’m feeling a bit old- the trees were about as tall as I was then) have been replaced with Aspen, Canadian Red and Maple. They stand among the Ash and Cottonwood trees grandad planted some 70 years ago. The one Maple dad planted behind cabin no. 4 has survived. A small curve in the tree trunk is the only trace of where my brother Robert hacked it with the lawnmower one summer. A Canadian Red keeps it company now. I remember dad telling us that it takes a generation to grow a hardwood Maple. It has happened. The tree is tall and sturdy and ready for another generation to take care of it.

The rush of summer is a blur but I have captured it with my camera to share with all of you through blog entries. Our new website has been so much fun to get up and going! And Suzanne Reid is the genius behind it! Keeping up with technology, repairing towel racks and replacing old faucets have kept up busy this past season. Our 90th year of operation couldn’t have been better! Robert and I are so grateful for the kind reviews our guests have taken the time to post. Thank you!

The slower pace of the season is a perfect time to stop and relax with us! We’ll be open through the 1st week of November this year to allow for new window and door installation on cabins 1 and 2. They are the oldest cabins and need a little extra TLC to get them up and ready for guests next year.

Lady will be rested up by Monday to greet you all. She’s had a tough week supervising all of the tree planting! Call us (208) 652-3570 and let us know when you are coming! We’ll have a room ready for you! And as always, travel safely!

Jenny & Robert

Signs and Times over 90 Years of Hospitality!

By Jenny Groom on May 16, 2014 / History, Lodging, Recreation, Vacation

Circa 1924 Auto camp flashback! Pull up and get a camp spot! I know this is grandad, D.K. Rankin (sitting closest to the door) and grandma Eva’s cousin Felix from California. We’re not entirely sure this is the exact position of the small cabin office as it is situated today. But early travelers did enjoy a drink of cool, well-water and got to know this farmer/homesteader/pioneer from Virgina.

Circa 1967 Here we have the first sign mom and dad put up. This is a great shot as it captures the original electric Rankin Court sign just off to back and right. Red tulips are blooming just behind the sign so this picture must have been taken in the spring. Plans are in the works to begin remodeling the stucco cabins, no. 1 and no. 2 (also seen in the backround) soon!

Circa 1971 Notice the New Units in Back is added to the next sign upgrade. I remember a new well being drilled, and a modular unit of 6 motel rooms was brought in and set on a foundation next to the house on the back of the property. Because people could only see the cabins from the road, the New Units in Back helped bring in more business.

2009- Here we are today! We selected the new logo to carry on the auto court heritage, painted the pole and are ready for guests again this year!

Hope you’ve enjoyed a quick tour through 90 years of The Rankin! We’ll share more pictures and stories as we move through the 2014 season with you. Let us know when you need a place to stay on your way to Yellowstone Park! We are still here and have clean, comfortable, affordable rooms or cozy cabins with wing-back chairs and books. Call Robert (208) 652-3570, or his cell (208) 851-8646 (he may be out working on the grounds and watering my flowers!).

TRAVEL SAFELY!

Jenny & Robert

Rankin’s Auto Camp

By Jenny Groom on May 9, 2014 / Events, History, Lodging, Recreation, Uncategorized, Vacation

Our 2014 season officially started April 9 when Dan’s Plumbing turned on the water! A few snow banks lingered behind the cabins and Lady loved that! Robert worked hard to get the lawns cleaned up in time for the spring rains this last week. He’s busy mowing the beautiful green grass in between the storms now! Daffodils, tulips and pansies enjoy spring’s simple gift of sunshine.

2014 marks our 90th year of operation. 90 years of hospitality is how we think of it. We reorganized a bookcase in the office/house entry-way and have pictures, antique cars, a 1924 license plate, and 2 wool blankets that were used in the early auto camp cabins sitting on the shelves. The special, keepsake blankets are a bit threadbare and soft around the edges. One is brown with the words Rankins Auto Camp embroidered in red along one edge. The other blanket is gray with 2 black stripes. Rankin Court is embroidered in black thread along the edge of this blanket.

We are proud that Rankin Auto Camp lives on! What’s left of the 1890s farm machinery sits in a bed of beautiful flowers. The perennials on the grounds are those planted by my grandmother, mother and myself. The rooms and cabins are cozier than ever and ready to welcome you as you travel through our beautiful Yellowstone and Teton country.

The 2014 season is here and it’s looking BUSY! Robert’s getting quite a few family reunions and wedding parties scheduled. Our international visitors are coming from all over the world to stay with us. And we are ready! The famous fire-pit is out as are the grills. Call (208) 652-3570, or Robert’s cell phone, (208) 851-8646 and let us know when you’ll be coming!

And as always, Travel Safely!

Jenny & Robert

P.S. Thank you Betty for getting me in gear to update our blog site! Waking up from hibernation is hard work! We’re looking forward to seeing you later this summer!

Rainbows and Snowflakes

By Jenny Groom on December 14, 2013 / Events, History, Lodging, Recreation, Vacation

As we finished putting all of the lawn furniture away, soft, fluffy snow blessed our last task for the 2013 season.

Moments later, sunshine broke through and everything glistened.

It is difficult to describe how special this year has been for us here at The Rankin. The cabins were booked for most of the season and our international guests were delightful! They fell in love with our beautiful Yellowstone, The Tetons and Mesa Falls. Fishermen from Scotland were particularly delightful to visit with- Scottish brogue and fun stories sitting around the fire pit! FUN TIMES!

We have to share the “rainbow moment” with you in this post too! So many storms passed through this summer ending with sudden bursts of sunshine. One incredible rainbow arched over our property. The color faded so quickly but we managed to capture this much of it!

A journey is a special thing and we are privileged to share in so many lives as people travel. Offering a clean, comfortable place to rest is a pretty special thing to offer people these days. We’ve been at it since 1924! The cabins are still here!

We look forward to our 90th year of hospitality in 2014! Call us at (208) 232-8496 (our off-season phone number) or use our webpage contact form (rankinmotel.com) and let us know when you need a great place to stay next summer!

Labors of Love

By Jenny Groom on October 23, 2013 / History, Lodging, Recreation, Uncategorized, Vacation

It has been a wonderful summer for us here at The Rankin! Our cozy cabins were booked solid for most of the summer! We love to share these special circa 1936 cottages my grandfather built. Quilts, old pictures along wtih a few pieces of original furniture make them special places to relax on your journey.

Our current “labor of love” is the exterior restoration of these special cabins. Replacing wood panels, thresholds and caulking is a big part of the process as well.

Restoration work includes installing cedar panels along the bottom edges of the 2 oldest cabins we use for linens and storage. The weather is holding so the stucco cabins are getting new paint as well. We’re hoping to get them up and ready to offer guest lodging next summer. Clawfoot bathtubs will be a challenge to work around!

We are blessed with wonderful online reviews. And Robert and I do appreciate the reviews that tell us how we can make your stay more comfortable. We want you to know that the low water pressure will be improved by installing new pressure valves on our pump this fall. And our bedding inventory will make sure to replace all “flat pillows”.

We appreciated the suggestion of hanging an extra mirror in each cabin from the group of ladies who didn’t mind sharing the single bathroom, but just needed another mirror for makeup and hair-doing. THANK YOU!

We’re welcoming hunters, fisherman and a few travelers to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks since they have reopened for a few more weeks. Do take time to travel through the beautiful Ashton country and enjoy the fall colors! Give us a call (208) 652-3570 and we’ll have a warm room or cabin ready for you! We’ll be open a few more weeks before it’s time to hibernate! Travel Safely, and Enjoy the Journey!

June News

By Jenny Groom on June 20, 2013 / History, Lodging, Recreation, Vacation

A third dish is installed and The Rankin officially has wi-fi! The snowball “bush” and peonies burst into bloom earlier this month. The cooler temps are keeping everything green. Bob won’t have to install air-conditioners in the cabins for another week.

Even bigger news is that we’ve got a 4th generation learning the biz this summer! Niece Jenny, great-granddaughter of D.K.Rankin, is keeping the grounds beautiful, getting some touch-up painting done and greeting guests with genuine hospitality, Texas style! Grandad was born in Virginia, and I still remember his gentle, southern drawl. As her picture shows, when Jenny gets her chores done, she hits the river! We’ve enjoyed some pretty tasty trout lately!

Daffodils and tulips have faded away and columbine, snapdragons and pansies are on center stage in the back lawn flower bed now. New lawn furniture, along with the fire pit and grills are ready for you! Give us a call (208) 652-3570 and let Bob or Jenny know when you’ll be coming! We’ll have the accommodations you need, awesome grounds to enjoy, embers in a fire-pit to roast a marshmallow over and perhaps a fish-story or two from Jenny!

Travel Safely!

Dishes

By Jenny Groom on April 24, 2013 / Events, History, Lodging, Vacation

And we’re not talkin’ about your mom’s Lenox! The new satellite dishes are installed and we’re getting the new televisions hooked up. Flat screen technology at The Rankin! It hasn’t been that long since we got everything to work with a remote control! We’ve had a trip to the past getting all of the televisions switched from cable to Dish network. Remember these? About 40 years ago, El Genes Appliances in Rexburg, Idaho sold mom and dad 10 zenith televisions for the motel rooms and cabins. And 40 years later, they are doing it again. The owner remembered my mom and was so pleased to learn our family is still running it! Such a blessing to find local service providers to keep us going.

Dan’s Plumbing got the water turned on yesterday and the new water heaters in the rooms are awesome. The cleaning crew is busy getting everything cleaned today and tomorrow. I’m sewing a few more curtain panels for cabins 3, 4 and 6. I managed to finish re-covering cushions and the chair in cabin 6 looks good as new.

The tulips are coming up and a few brave pansies bask in the cool spring air. We’ve heard from so many friends and travelers and can’t wait to see you! Get your travel plans together and give us a call!

(208) 652-3570 Business phone

(208) 851-8646 Robert’s cell

We’re ready to make your journey a little more special when you rest and relax with us!

Travel Safely!

Journeys

By Jenny Groom on March 13, 2013 / Events, History, Lodging, Recreation, Vacation

There is beauty in the sunset of winter and in the land where the foliage has died back. I noticed a lot of milkweed along highway 20 last fall and discovered a patch in the fields in the back of the house. Their strange beauty never ceases to intrigue me.

Mother was always on the hunt for these beautiful pods to add to her fall bouquets of dried flowers. We took every back road between Idaho Falls and Ashton looking for these dumb things- we kids had better things to do for sure. Now, what a treat to find them in our own back fields.

We have sad news about our black lab Tipper. She passed away last week after a long battle with cancer. She was 12 years old and loved welcoming guests to the Rankin. Especially if those guests remembered her with a doggie treat! She was our fence-jumper in her younger days. Her sister Lady is a little lost. We all are.

We’re getting your reservations lined up for this summer! Make plans to visit our Yellowstone and Teton country this year, give us a call and we’ll have a room ready for you! Travel Safely!

Curtain Rods and Perenials

By Jenny Groom on February 18, 2013 / Events, History, Lodging, Recreation, Start, Vacation

I managed to get all of the curtains back up after the new windows were installed in the cabins. We talkin’ about 24 sets of valances, panels and inserts. Some of which I need to re-fashion as the windows open much more easily to let in the cool evening breezes.

As I re-hung curtains, I took inventory of the hardware. Most of the rods and hardware are in good shape; especially the older sets in cabin no.5. I believe Grandmother Rankin hung her curtains on these rods and brackets. I can’t imagine how many different sets of curtains have hung from this sturdy hardware. Mom used to buy 2 or 3 extra bedspreads for the cabins and always used them to make matching curtain sets. Flash back to the 70’s and think burnt orange corded bedspreads from Sears. I sew curtains as well and delight using vintage fabrics, old quilts and pillowshams to create new looks for our cottages.

Grandmother’s tiger lilies still bloom every summer and watch me troop back and forth, in and out of the rooms to hang pictures and curtains, change quilt sets and switch lamps around for the perfect look. Or, at least a look that will bring a room to life for a guest to enjoy and relax in!

More reservations are coming in every day for the coming 2013 season. We’ve heard from friends in Canada, Vienna, London and all over the United States. And it will be our 89th year of operation! We are still family owned and operated since Grandad started up the Rankin Auto Court in 1924. We are proud to offer the cleanest, most comfortable and affordable accomadations you will find on the way to Yellowstone and Teton National Parks.

Give us a call and let us know when we can have a room or cabin ready for you this summer! Travel Safely!

Delphinium Summer

By Jenny Groom on July 26, 2012 / Events, History, Lodging, Recreation, Vacation

Our front flower bed is beautiful this year! Royal blue, white and periwinkle delphinium grace center stage. I planted them 2 years ago and they have come into their own. Snapdragons and daisies will soon take over the starring roles as they die back. Petunias will of course last the whole season. I love the simple beauty of these annuals. Mom planted them every spring in front of the cabins. I remember spray-painting the wire fencing white every spring to make the beds neat and tidy. I also remember having to use the hand trimmers to keep the grass trimmed!

Daisies grace the retired farm machinery in the Heritage Flower Bed. The equipment here is what grandad farmed with when they homesteaded the land in the late 1800’s. My latest research discovery is a book titled: Horse-drawn days : a century of farming with horses by Jerry Apps. The rusty machinery I salvaged from the fields are such treasures and I have a wonderful resource to learn more about them now. Other favorites of mine in this bed include chamomile, black-eyed susans, lupine and sedge. Of course there is usually a thistle or 2 in the mix. Grandad battled those all his life out in the fields so naturally they grow here.

Yellowstone Park visitor numbers are up this year according to the newspaper but we already knew that! So many friends (old and new!) have stayed with us on their journey through this beautiful area this year. One guest was kind enough to send us her blog entry link after her stay. Click here.

Thank you for choosing to stay with us as you travel! And when you are making plans to come through Ashton, give Robert a call at 208-652-3570, or his cell 208-851-8646 (he may be out watering my flowers!) to reserve your room or cabin. He knows the area, the current construction projects in progress and the best way to get around some of them!

We’ll see you soon! Travel safely!

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