Many of us are about to travel this coming holiday, and while pointless, how about checking some lodging options from the past? A look at the options while traveling by land, way before Airbnb or even GPS were part of our travel lexicon. Today’s images cover locations that go from the humble to the lavish and quirky. A nice way to consider your options for that reservation in the Wayback travel machine. And to start that trip, our opening image is the Lake Front Motel in Cooperstown, NY.
Sahara Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Monarch Crest Lodge, Monarch Pass, Colorado.
White Cabin Motel, Ashland, Oregon.
Salt Lake City Travelodge, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Casa Bell Motel, Inglewood, California.
Rich’s Rancho Santa Maria, Santa Maria, California.
Mill Creek Lodge, Durango, Colorado.
Silver Spur Motel, Durango, Colorado.
Town House Motel, Belleville, Illinois.
Royal Inn Motel, Provo, Utah.
Ogden Travelodge, Ogden, Utah.
El Camino Motel and Restaurant, Socorro, New Mexico.
Patches Motel, West Dennis, Massachusetts.
In looking up the modern locations, I was surprised to see that the Patches Motel cottages are still standing. Looks like the property has been turned into condominiums, and each of the 12 cottages is now privately owned. But the exterior appearance has remained largely original. Maybe a combination high demand (being on Cape Cod) and local preservation ordinances has kept these intact.
Address is 54 Swan River Rd. in West Dennis. Google StreetView link is here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/h2HMvWYHuEv7Hhz57
So many cross-county family road trips in our 1955 Olds ’98’ Holiday 2-door hardtop or Starfire convertible. The motels we stayed in always had to have a swimming pool. As a child I swam cross country in motel swimming pools,
Having just been in New Mexico and Colorado, I strongly suspect that those lodges and motels in Durango and Socorro are no longer there; Durango has really grown although the downtown is still surprisingly lively and has lots of retail still.
I just came here to say that the El Camino IS still in Socorro! I passed through Socorro last March and while I don’t remember the El Camino specifically, there are just so many of these mid-century motels still standing at least in New Mexico. In planning that trip, I looked into which of the old-style motels were still standing along our anticipated route and arranged to stay at those that seemed reputable. That actually was a blast, and some, such as the El Pueblo Lodge in Taos I would highly recommend.
It looks like the El Camino has been renovated, but the sign is still just like in the picture posted here.
The “Patches Motel” is very very New England from that era. We used to stay in a bunch of places like that back in the 1960s. Many are still standing, but just as Eric notes about Patches, most have been converted to other uses.
It appears that the El Camino motel itself is now an Econ-Lodge, but the coffee-shop/El Matador Lounge is a separate business that utilizes the old sign. The fact that the El Matador is still there is perhaps more amazing than the fact that the motel and sign are still there. The rest of the El Matador building has been turned into a dispensary, but that seems to be the case with almost every other commercial building in New Mexico.
The Casa Bell Motel in Inglewood is still going strong as a place to stay near LAX for people on a budget. According to reviews, there may or may not be hot water, and your neighbors may be working girls.
Borgward on the right in Mill Creek, but I can’t identify the little (maybe British) cabriolet in Cooperstown.
I was thinking it was a Borgward. Thanks for confirming. I wonder if the “British” car is an Austin A90 Atlantic? The convertible does not have the second side window, but according to Wikipedia there was a 5 window coupe that was available with a fabric covering which made it a faux cabriolet. As my first car was an Austin, I am predisposed to see them, even in unlikely locations. Also, my dad had an Austin in the 30s.
I think it is a Hillman Minx convertible, the 1948-55 ‘Mark’ model rather than the later ‘Audax’.
I think you have identified it. I am not familiar with this series, but I looked at some pictures and it matches. There were lots of the Audax around Toronto when I was growing up, including a neighbour who had a Sunbeam convertible.
pretty sure it is a morris minor also i stay at the lakefront every year for cooperstown induction weekensc
I like that 2nd shot. “Mabel, there are TWO Cadillacs out front! Get the photographer over here right now!”
It’s hard not to be seduced by the intersection of cars, music, and Americana. This seems a good place to post a link to a somewhat-recently made video of ‘Living In The USA’, from a 1968 Steve Miller Band album. Enjoy.
Mom-and-Pop motels were terrific. Clean, tidy, comfortable. As a kid of the sixties, our trips were always by automobile, and motels were best for a family of five. Remember the paper strip that stated SANITIZED FOR YOUR PROTECTION (or something like that) that was wrapped around the toilet seat? I miss those places
Another relic of the past, like pay phones and common sense. We did a lot of traveling with pull behind campers, Florida( from Wisconsin) mostly,and postcards were almost expected. The phones of today have pretty much killed the postcard industry, but in the 60s, it was big. 1st, you’d check in at the campground office, and get 10 postcards on the rack,,,FOR A BUCK!!! You’d get set up, and before the beach, a few lines to grandma. They were always the same, “Hi grandma, weather nice, off to the beach”, Mom always had a couple, what, 2 cent stamps, and what amazes me, even at 10 for a buck, the postcard company STILL made money. Sometimes we’d take grandma and grandpa along, and they wouldn’t stay in the camper, so we always had to find a motel nearby the campground. Many just like as featured. Never a problem, there were hundreds to choose from and they all had postcards. Thanks for the memories.
Sadly many of the older route 66 motels are still going but raggedy and sometimes not overly clean .
I don’t need fancy but cleanliness is a deal breaker .
-Nate
Appears about 1958 per the fine American cars present- love the finned Mopar yellow car. Neat concept to have a motel with a ship motif. The sole import car has been discussed- has that British look to it. How ‘quaint’ it sure was to drive something totally different from the ‘crowd’ of Detroit iron. Yes, I know it’s a new century- but seems like 100 years ago different era- changes occurring as quickly as the latest computer evolution. No ‘Black Friday’ back in the 1950s- can’t recall what retail sales were like, but as a 10 year old I wasn’t making purchases. Fun/ nostalgic images- guess far advanced from the running water/flush toilets signs I can still recall- now A/C and Television. Thanks for posting. H