Today’s photo’s come from regular reader Luc, who showed me there are still a few places around town that I don’t know about. One of which is this trailer park in the midst of Big Box Sprawl…
Here’s a map of the area, with the park located inside the yellow circle. The best way to describe it, is back behind the lighting boutique.
Luc, shot two series of pictures of the place, which he kindly forwarded for sharing. I’m going to let Luc’s photos speak for themselves, if you have any questions for Luc, post a comment and hopefully he’ll chime in with an answer.
The postcard above appeared in the Walkerville Press’ book “Postcards from the Past, Vol. 1”
The motel still stands on Walker Rd, just south of the car wash on the corner of Cty. Rd 42 & Walker. The post card is looking towards Walker.
It looks like the book is now sold out/out of print, but I think a copy or two can still be had on eBay…
Stories abound about it being home to some Bikers in the 1970’s. Any stories or memories about the place?
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how very….odd. i thought i had spotted trailers in that area before but never looked into it. it seems like people still live there…at least in the green one with the niffty racing stripe. ditto for the one with the boat.
weird stuff.
thanks Luc! hope you got you took some penicillin or something before you went in!
There are a few copies of the Postcard book left at the WCMuseum.
In the late 1950’s, the Humpty Dumpty had a swimming pool in the middle of the parking lot. A group of parents make arrangements with the owners to rent the pool area for the entire summer, with the understanding that motel guests, of which there were very few, would also have access. Almost all of my friends learned to swim at the Humpty Dumpty, and everyone’s allowance was spent in the coffee shop.
Around the corner, just off Division Rd, is Countryside Village, another trailer park. It’s in better shape, but I suspect the same vintage as the one in the post. The street names are funny – ie, “Barracuda” and “Pompano”. I guess they wanted to give it a tropical getaway sort of feel. (They failed)
WOW…I’M SO SURPRISED NO ONE EVER CLEANED THAT AREA OUT….AND I’M SURPRISED I NEVER NOTICED THOSE TRAILERS!
Wow, I never knew this was there. I almost expect to see Julian, Ricky, and Bubbles hanging around.
I briefly worked with a guy who lived in one of these trailers in the late 90’s. I dropped him off once and was also surprised to see this place existed. If memory serves, it looked about as derelict as the present photos. I remember wondering if he was squatting, because I couldn’t imagine paying anyone rent for one of those.
I never knew this place existing until my wife and In-laws told me about it 7 years ago. My wife lived there for the first years of her life before her parents bought there house. I was told that there was just one street of trailers. (maybe 20). I don’t know much about this place, but I know my mother and father in-law could probally tell some stories
For years that Humpty Dumpty coffee shop looked kinda open/closed – never sure if it was a going concern.
Luc, which ‘trailer’ had the bi-folding closet doors as it’s front door? If I heard him correctly, I think Luc told me that the electricity supplying these ‘homes’ was illegal and tied in without knowledge of it. It’s funny because the night Luc told me about this place, I noticed two guys walking down the alley out toward Walker Road when I was stopped at the light earlier that same day. I remember wondering where those guys were coming from because I had no idea what was hidden back there.
Next time you’re at or near that car wash have a look at the motel parking lot – the pool is still there, just back-filled with dirt–pretty sure the DEEP END, SHALLOW, NO DIVING, etc lettering is still visible on the concrete edge/deck.
Lived there when I was a baby. Am told that the place wasn’t bad in the early 70s but that the road was really crappy. My parents sold their trailer in 74 and the new owners moved it off site.
i had driven through there just to see what it was like a few years back. the road was still crappy and the trailers were mostly run down. they had the fence along the east side covered with old hubcaps from cars going back to my guess is the 60’s. it used to be pretty well hidden behind the lighting boutique until the la-z-boy gallery built the building next door. I think today the building is bedroom depot. I see from the photos its even more run down, looks like some arsonists have been at work too.
No arson Steve. I was told that a tenant burned his house/shack to the gound when he found out the park was to be destroyed. I wonder what happened to “Vinny” (dog house next to burned out shack).
Colin, 3rd from the top, excluding the map photo. The double louvered entrance doors lack any “R” value I assure you.
I must say, that my tour of the area made me rather sad. The displacement of these people, the childrens toys and most of all the broken picture frames (memories still within). Some of the trailers have yet to be destroyed and still hold all of the former owners property.
My wife and I bought a trailer there at about this time in 1970. It was at the back south west corner. We bought it for 4000.00 dollars and had to have it wired for more power for an electric stove. The stove that was in it was a real mess and flared up when the propane was lit. We had Christmas / New Years party there. We were married May 22 1971 and this was to be our first home. The trailer was 10x42ft. and we lived there until June 1974. We added an enclosed side porch and a shed at the back. We put in new flooring, paint, and paper. The rent was 45.00 a month. There was a single French gentleman living next door and one day while my wife was hanging the closes on the line he was watching our daughter who was all dressed up nice. He gave her a chocolate cookie which ended up all over her dress. It was all in all a good start for a couple starting out in their mid twenties. Sadly the couple who bought it from us bought it for their son and he died before he was moved in. They moved it off site.
My brother lived there for a time, my sisters and I were appalled at what he was living in,
it looked like a construction shack. Most of the residents there were all alike, heavy drinkers, it looked like party city. But it was private and they werent bothering anyone.
Surprised it has been left like this what with all the nosey “mind everyone else;s business”
self appointed busybodies out there.
I never knew this existed either, and I’ve been out there hundreds of times!
As pathetic as all of these photos may appear, there is something very amazing to be seen in the aerial view. Look at it again to see if you see what I see.
It is the only section of the area that has preserved any semblance of nature. Any trees that we need to filter our air. Hope for survival of our planet.
The abundant riches of that property can only be seen from the air and it is saddening to know that it will go away one day. While we comfort ourselves calling for “maintenance” & “progress” that precious view will disappear along with ones before it.
I remembered the trailer park having picked up and/or dropped off fares there when I drove cab for awhile in the mid ’80’s.
Funny story about the Humpty Dumpty motel: When I was working at prudential insurance in ’70 -’71, one of the “girls” in the office got married. I forget where they were going on their honeymoon but everyone teased her that they wouldn’t get further than the Humpty Dumpty. Turned out their car broke down on the way out of town and guess where they spent their wedding night?
What’s crazy is that that site was still thriving with almost full occupancy in the late ’90’s……………. There were a series of pictures done then by friends……..I’m gonna look into finding them
Most of it is torn down now, I think there is only two trailers left at the south end. They’ve been demo’ing the lots over the last month.
I have glanced at this site on the way past frequently. I never knew it had such a history. Does anyknow who owns the property or has it been abandoned? Wouldn’t it be great if someone could restore it to a fully functioning business again?
Late post but I saw the white van in one of the pictures being towed away. The “John bomb” is no longer (written on side of van).
This area at Walker & #2 highway was the motel capital of Windsor. There where five or six along highway #2 west of Walker and another trailer park. The big two storey gray hotel was the site of the Casa Don motel, in the fifties it was owned by the Wogan family.
Suprized no one mentioned there was a meteor strike in that area that sent one or more trailers on fire.
(1980s).
home of BIG DADDY LYLE LOBOS MC TURNED HELLS ANGELS 1999.DIED OCT13 2001.ONE OF THE KINDIST MAN YOU COULD EVER MEET.R.I.P.BIG DADDY
Humpty Dumpty Motel had open swimming for all the kids in the area 50 cents a day….:) Phil’s pool hall across the street, Chan’s restraunt on the other corner (Applebee’s now)
Airport Tavern (Tim Hortons)activies for all ages…lol
I was the one who called 911 when that burnt out trailer was on fire. I was leaving Canadian Tire and saw smoke in that direction so I drove behind the plaza that houses a Bell Store, M&M Meats, and the Bedroom Depot. Through the trees I saw the trailer on fire and called it in. The trailer went up pretty quick. The firefighters put it out pretty quick. I was interviewed by the Windsor Star and a small article appeared in the paper the next day. I remember only one or two people came out from surrounding trailers. All the rest were abandoned.
So interesting…my dad said that in the late 60’s, he used to help his mom who managed the Humpty Dumpty restaurant and motel. At some point before, 1972 (when I was born)…they all moved back west to Regina, Saskatchewan. My dad was gonna take a job in Windsor at crylser but he moved back to Regina instead. I still have relatives out here I have never met! Kinda neat to see where my dad and grandma worked when they were young. Currently, I am a singer songwriter who is touring across Canada…we will be performing March 16, 2013 at the Oasis blues club…and I now also have the opportunity to stay a few days to check out this history of the Humpty Dumpty Motel!!