Fans of Animal House will want to visit this fun, atomic era Airbnb made to look like the childhood home of fictional character Fawn Liebowitz.
Not much is known about fictional character Fawn Liebowitz—except, of course, that she lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and the joke goes, “died in a tragic kiln accident.” She doesn’t even appear onscreen. But that hasn’t stopped fans of the cult classic 1978 film, Animal House, from playing off the oddness of her story and playing up the Atomic Era vibes of what her life could have been like.
A Famous Film
In Fort Wayne, Indiana, there’s now a new AirBnb featuring a well-preserved 1958 home that’s been transformed to look the character’s fictional 1962 house. “We wanted to create her childhood home,” says property owner Mike Kelly. “But we started with largely a blank slate. The movie was set in 1962, and all we really knew was that she lived in Fort Wayne and died from a tragic kiln accident.”
It took seven different rewatchings of the film for him to start gleaning minute details about Fawn and her friends. “I think she would have probably liked modern art and folk music, and she probably would been involved in the civil rights movement, so we focused on those elements when decorating the house,” he says. “We know Liebowitz is a Jewish name, so the bookshelf has a book dedicated to the history of the Jewish people.”
Hidden Past Brought to Life in the Atomic Era AirBnb
There are also many allusions to 1962 Fort Wayne in the AirBnb, making the house feel like a time capsule. Visitors to the atomic era Airbnb can spot a program of a 1962 hockey game; memorabilia from the pre-NBA league, the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (who later became the Detroit Pistons); works made by local 1962 era art deco style artists; 1960s era postcards featuring the Lincoln Bank Tower, built in 1929 and meant to appear as a replica of New York’s Empire State building; along with many more.
For the character’s artistic sensibilities, Mike included an egg chair modeled after Danish designer Arney Jacobson’s work. There’s also a replica Eames chair in the front room, and many different examples of modern artwork prints in several of the rooms. Even the textured carpet, in a desert wave design, might be something the character would have liked. The tangerine orange color in the dining room and avocado green hue in the hall and bathroom are also references to the character’s sense of style.
Character Study
Think you know a lot about Fawn—or at least Animal House? The atomic era Airbnb has a scavenger-style treasure hunt visitors can enjoy while staying at the Airbnb. “It includes 10 questions that take guests from room to room and eventually leads to a prize hidden in a secret compartment,” says Mike. Super fans of the movie will be happy to know they’re not alone in their love of Fawn.
“For a long time, there used to be a Fawn Liebowitz band in town,” Mike says. “There was also a popular golf outing for a few years in the area named after her.” Online petitions have asked to name the local college’s art wings or at least their pottery kilns after her. One of Mike’s friends even added the character’s name to a pottery drying rack at the college as a fun allusion to Fawn and her connection to Fort Wayne. “With this Airbnb, we wanted to celebrate the movie and the character,” says Mike. “We wanted to honor those things and what it must been like living in Fort Wayne at that time.”
Curious about other MCM AirBnbs and hotels? Check out 6 Mid Mod Airbnbs That Are Perfect For Your Spring Break Getaway and Mid Century Modern Hotels from Chicago, Portland and More. And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more Atomic Ranch articles and ideas!
