In Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Mo’s Motor is a service station that Leland and Laura Palmer visit after being accosted “out of the blue” by Mike the One Armed Man. The former building was located in Snoqualmie, Washington and made a brief appearance in Twin Peaks season two.
WHERE IS MO’S MOTOR FROM TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME LOCATED?
Mo’s Motor was located on the corner of Meadowbrook Way and Park Street in Snoqualmie, Washington. The approximate coordinates for this location are 47°31’31.6″N 121°48’44.8″W.
.Interesting side note, the former Riverside Mobile Home Park, which served as the film location for Fat Trout Trailer Park in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, was located in the field found in the upper left corner of the map.
THE BROOK THEATRE IN MEADOWBROOK
Before Mo’s Motor appeared in Twin Peaks, the location was home to The Brook Theater. According to LivingSnoqualmie.com, the theatre opened in 1923 in the former town of Meadowbrook (latter annexed to the town of Snoqualmie in 1952):
“Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Cochrane and their Cochrane Moving Picture Company invested $20,000 and opened The Brook Theater on Saturday, September 15, 1923, with seating 440, including 38 loges (small, separated seating area) with cushioned seats and backs in the rear of the theater.
The first movie ever shown at The Brook was “The Spoilers,” depicting life in Alaska after gold was discovered in the early 1890s. General admission was 15 cents and 30 cents, with loges running 20 cents and 40 cents.
In 1929, the Cochranes upgraded the theater and brought state of the art talkies to the Valley, but the depression hit the Snoqualmie Valley hard.
According to the Snoqualmie Valley History Magazine, the Cochranes sold The Brook in the 1940s and the new owner kept the doors open until the mid 1960s.”
I first visited this location on August 10, 1996 as part of the film location bus tour during the 1996 Twin Peaks Fan Festival.
Here is a look at the location in August 2008 courtesy of Google Street View.
MO’S MOTOR SEEN IN TWIN PEAKS EPISODE 2.010 FROM SEASON TWO
Eagle-eyed viewers will spot the shuttered movie theater in Episode 2.010 in Twin Peaks season two.
This short establishing shot is found just before Agent Cooper is seen packing is suitcase at The Great Northern Hotel. I recall identifying this spot in a letter to John Thorne and Craig Miller published in Wrapped in Plastic, Issue 27.
PALMER FAMILY APPROACHING MO’S MOTOR
The first glimpse of Mo’s Motor can be seen through Leland Palmer’s windshield.
The scene was shot along Meadowbrook Way approaching Park Street.
In this aerial shot, Mo’s Motor can be seen in the upper right corner. Read more about the Intersection scene where Mike yells at Leland in this film location article.
PULLING INTO MO’S MOTOR
Leland speeds away toward Mo’s Motor after Mike, The One Armed departs the intersection. The August 8, 1991 script describes the action:
The light turns green. Gerard takes off away from them. As soon as the logging truck moves Leland lets go of the brake and the car flies into a service station on their right. Everyone around there has been watching a commotion on a Sunday afternoon.
Look carefully and you’ll see a street sign for Meadowbrook Way, which has since been removed.
BURN YOUR ENGINE OUT
As Leland and Laura pull into the service station, a “Young Mechanic” (played by James Parks) shares a warning about burning out the engine. In the film credits, he’s listed as Service Station Mechanic.
A YOUNG MECHANIC runs up to their car.
MECHANIC
Mr., Mr., you shouldn’t do that to your engine. You ought to take it easy, Mr., you’re going to burn your engine out.
James Parks is the son of Michael Parks who played Jean Renault in Season 2. You can really see the resemblance.
TREAT HIM RIGHT AT MO’S MOTOR
I love the “Treat Him Right” sign in the upper right corner. I also wonder if the gas pumps are the same props from Big Ed’s Gas Farm used in the Pilot Episode and Episode 1005. It’s doubtful they are working pumps since property records don’t indicate it was ever a gas station.
The service station attendants watch as Leland tries comforting Laura. There is another hand written sign on the right side of the screen but I’m unsure what it says. I also never noticed the calendar on the wall until writing this article.
LELAND
What the hell was all that? Why doesn’t someone do something about all of this. My god, that guy came out of nowhere. He was harassing my daughter.
LELAND PALMER’S FLASHBACK
There is a lengthy exchange between Laura and Leland while they sit in front of Mo’s Motor. It includes a flashback to Leland who spots his daughter at the Red Diamond City Motel.
The red building in the distance was constructed in 1939 and once housed Best Putt Forward and Bucky’s Baseball Academy,
The beige building behind Laura is now home to North Bros. Motors.
GET BACK TO YOUR WORK!
In the script, Leland eventually starts the car and drives a little further with Laura.
BACK IN THE CAR WITH LAURA
Leland and Laura are in the car. Leland starts the car.
LAURA
Are you sure you’re okay?
LELAND
Yes.
Leland pulls out onto the road. After they drive for a bit.
Laura asks her father if he came home last week as she thought she saw him.
It’s at that point Leland yells at the workers, which doesn’t appear in the script. Ray Wise does a spectacular job portraying such emotional range throughout the entire scene.
According to Ray, this was one of his favorite scenes to play in the film. Read my Love Letter to his performance.
Back to the location … The scene concludes with Laura telling Leland that she was just down the street when she saw him.
In the script, they end up at the Double R Diner to pick up Sarah Palmer. I wonder if this scene was actually shot (I’m assuming it was).
EXT. DOUBLE R DINER
Leland pulls the car into the Double R. Sarah stands out front waving.
SARAH
(calling)
Where were you two?
LAURA’S GOLDEN ORB EARRINGS
Another random observation is Laura Palmer’s earrings in this scene – GOLDEN ORBS!
This has to be a coincidence … or is it?
MO’S MOTOR BUILDING IS DEMOLISHED
LivingSnoqualmie.com shared an article in July 2015 about the building’s demolition.
“According to City of Snoqualmie Building Official John Cooper, the property owners obtained a Demolition Permit to remove the old structure’s front facade and roof system in order to access to the interior and remove items from inside the building.
Cooper also stated via email that demolition crews will be removing debris from around the property as they prepare the parcel for sale, but he had no information regarding future ownership or proposed businesses for the site.”
Nooooooooooooooo!!! When I visited in September 2019, large chunks of the building were covered by plants. Some parts of the building remained standing, but not much was left. I’m kicking myself that I didn’t take more photos in 1996.
MO’S MOTOR BUILDING LOCATION IN TWIN PEAKS SEASON 3
By the time filming began for Twin Peaks Season 3 on Showtime in September 2015, only one wall was remaining. If you look carefully in Part 6, you’ll catch a glimpse of it.
The top of the wall is seen behind the utility pole.
The wall can be seen on the far right side of this image.
MEADOWBROOK BRIDGE
If you continue through the Meadowbrook Way intersection, you’ll cross a bridge seen both in the Pilot Episode, feature film and Part 18.
