Diversions
44 |
Overdrive
| September 2014
By Wendy Parker
Nevada's Clown Motel
can be a scary place for
those of us who suffer
from coulrophobia, the fear
of clowns. For others, it's
spooky because it's next to
a cemetery and has been
called "the most haunted
motel in America," though
owner Bob Perchetti dis-
putes that title.
"We've been here 19
years, and we've never
experienced anything like
that in the motel," Perchetti
says. "Some people think
it's scary just because of the
clowns, but we don't have
ghosts."
He can't move the
cemetery, but he's willing to
tone down the clown décor
to accommodate guests.
"I've been known to cover
the clowns with a blanket,
to keep people from being
uncomfortable while check-
ing in or out," he says.
"We'll even take the clown
pictures out of the room if
it's necessary."
Opened in 1990 by Leroy
David, the motel served as
a place for him to keep his
clown figurine collection,
which he purchased from
a retired Las Vegas clown.
David built the motel next
to the Tonopah town ceme-
tery, where his father is bur-
ied, along with victims of a
1911 mine fire. He sold the
place to Perchetti in 1995,
who has more than tripled
the size of the collection
during his tenure.
Perchetti, who grew up
in Tonopah, knows the
area well, including the
tragic mining accident be-
hind the gravestones in the
cemetery. When the mine
caught fire, the men's lack
of familiarity with firefight-
ing methods, together with
a reversal of air currents,
allowed the insignificant
blaze to develop into a di-
saster that claimed 17 lives.
Quirky Clown Motel: Not all laughs
Nevada's Clown Motel sits off
Highway 95 between Reno and Las
Vegas in the tiny town of Tonopah.
Truck parking is plentiful, and there
are restaurants within walking
distance.
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