Imagine driving into a small desert town late at night. You can hardly hold your eyes open and need to find a motel room rather quickly. You finally come across a motel that has a vacancy. You think you just got really lucky, but you soon discover the motel has a clown theme. Yes, clowns! Creepy clowns everywhere!
flickr/Will Keightley
About midway between the cities of Reno and Las Vegas, is the sleepy desert town of Tonopah - home of the famous Clown Motel.
flickr/Ken Lund
As you check into the Clown Motel, you’ll experience several creepy clowns staring you in the face.
facebook/The Clown Motel
flickr/Will Keightley
As you sleep, clowns will be staring down at you from their pictures that hang over the beds and on the side walls. Yikes!
flickr/Will Keightley
If hundreds of clowns aren’t creepy enough, the Clown Motel shares its property with the historic Tonopah Cemetery. This cemetery was established in 1901 and is the final resting place of over 300 town residents. Several of these deceased residents were miners who died over 100 years ago in the Tonopah-Belmont mine fire.
flickr/Will Keightley
So, why would anyone open up a motel next to an old, creepy cemetery? According to Bob Perchetti, the Clown Motel’s current owner, the story goes a little something like this:
flickr/Will Keightley
A man named Leroy David purchased the property during the 1970s. His father, Clarence H. David, was one of the miners who perished in the Tonopah-Belmont mine fire and was buried in the cemetery. After a lot of thought, Leroy decided to put a motel on the land.
flickr/Will Keightley
Leroy purchased a clown collection from a man he met in Las Vegas, and he later decided to combine his motel idea with his newly-purchased clown collection. His motel would later be known as the famous Clown Motel.
facebook/The Clown Motel
Ever since Mr. Perchetti took over the motel, clowns are constantly being added to the collection. Guests will sometimes donate a clown, and every now and then, clowns will show up in the mail from complete strangers. Stuffed clowns! Ceramic clowns! Big clowns! Small clowns! SUPER CREEPY CLOWNS!
flickr/Will Keightley
If you’re brave enough to stay a night at the Clown Motel, be sure to call ahead to reserve your room. Surprisingly, this motel books up pretty quickly. If you’re really, REALLY BRAVE, request a second-floor room for a GREAT view of the cemetery. Please be careful. People don’t call this the “Most Terrifying Motel In The World” for nothing. Clowns don’t mess around!
flickr/Jen Clown Motel / Location: 521 N Main St, Tonopah, NV 89049 / Phone number: (775) 482-5920
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
flickr/Will Keightley
flickr/Ken Lund
facebook/The Clown Motel
flickr/Will Keightley
flickr/Jen
Clown Motel / Location: 521 N Main St, Tonopah, NV 89049 / Phone number: (775) 482-5920
