Little American History, Before They Tear It Down

Demolishing the orgional Little America near Green River, Wyoming? Say it isn't so. But the old building is now costing too much to repair, so it has to come down. The other Little America in Cheyenne is in great shape and a wonderful place to stay and hold events.

Let's have a look at the old Little America before it goes away.

Little America in the Green River Valley was founded in 1934 by S.M. Covey along the Lincoln Highway (now I-80) in Wyoming.

Admiral Byrd's Antarctic base inspired it, so now you know why they have a stuffed penguin there.

Traveling by car was new. Little America was built as a refuge for stranded motorists, famously growing from 12 small cabins to a bustling travel center known for its 75-cent ice cream cones and massive, informative billboards.

What inspired the first "motel was the blizzard of 1932. Utah sheepherder S.M. Covey got stuck in a 40-below-zero blizzard in the Green River Valley. He vowed to build a safe haven for travelers on that spot.

The Name: Seeing news of Admiral Richard E. Byrd’s desolate Antarctic "Little America" base camp in 1929, Covey saw a parallel to his own isolation, inspiring the name for his refuge.

The site first opened in 1934 with a modest facility of 12 cabins, 2 gas pumps, and a 24-seat café.

The original facility was destroyed by fire in 1948 or 1949. It was rebuilt nearby on a busier stretch of U.S. 30 (later I-80) by 1952.

The "Town" of Little America: Covey’s general manager, Earl Holding, helped turn the location into a fully functioning "town" with its own water system and post office. Modernization: In 2025, the facility celebrated its 90th anniversary with a modernized Travel Center.

S.M. Covey commissioned a real Emperor penguin to be brought all the way from Antarctica to serve as Little America’s official mascot. The penguin was delivered by Isak Lystad, a ship’s captain who had served on Admiral Byrd’s third Antarctic expedition in 1939-40.

It died en route.

Named Emperor, this distinguished ambassador from the South Pole has been greeting guests ever since. Today, you can still visit the Emperor at our original Little America Wyoming location, where he stands proudly in a glass case in the lobby.