Modern Soft Water Camp, The Ulschak Motel/Cabins, The Badlands Motel, The Plains Motel, The Travelers Motel

Modern Soft Water Camp, The Ulschak Motel/Cabins, The Badlands Motel, The Plains Motel, The Travelers Motel.

The cabins for this motel were brought in by Frank Ulschak in 1936 to begin the business, unknown where they came from. The business was first located at 907 East Villard (corner of 9^th Ave E) and called “The Texaco Cabin Camp”, centered around a Texaco station that was located there. Major floods occurred in 1937 & 1938 causing them to relocate the business to higher land at the 700-711 E Villard address. The Ulschak family home was located here behind the office/gas station when it was moved. Before the office was built the Ulschaks had a check in desk in their living room. They would also rent out the children’s rooms when the cabins were full. As the business expanded, an old gas station building was brought in and became cabin no 9 on the north side behind the house. The Texaco station up front was later expanded to include a car wash and garage. In the 1960s, the small individual cabins on the east and west side were replaced with longer connected buildings. The business was sold by Fern Ulschak in 1973 to Mr & Mrs. William Nemec. They painted the buildings gold and renamed it to The Travelers Motel. Over the years the motel had several names: Modern Soft Water Camp (probably due to the well they had on the land), The Ulschak Motel/Cabins, The Badlands Motel, The Plains Motel, The Travelers Motel. The buildings were torn down in January 1988 after the buildings had been condemned. Info per Coral Ulschak O’Connell, daughter of Frank & Fern Ulschak.