Hotels and Motels

"Railroad Hotel, corner River and Front Sts., opposite steam boat landing and R.R. depots, Cleveland, Ohio. Geo. Thompson, proprietor. Meals, twenty-five cents. Passengers and baggage conveyed to and from the house, free."

"Hotel Langford. Lighted by electricity. Heated by steam. Everything new. Sample room for traveling men. Near the passenger station. Baths--hot and cold. Rates, $2.00 per day. Susquehanna, Penn. F. F. Langford, propr." This nineteenth-century business card indicates that the Hotel Langford catered to salesmen (called "commercial travelers" or "traveling men" at the time) by offering them "sample rooms" where they could display their wares for potential customers.

"Northwestern Hotel, Sioux City, Iowa. John Ross, proprieter."

"Oxford Market Hotel, 1907 and 1909 Oxford Street, Philadelphia. Jones & Co., proprietors. Accommodation for the traveling public, stabling for horses, depot and express wagons to hire."

"Clara H. Watkins, Landlady, Hotel, Long Green, Md."

"McCall's Ferry Hotel, C. F. Quade, proprietor. Opposite Columbia & Port Deposit Station. P.O. address: Bon View, Lancaster Co., Pa. The popular summer resort along the Susquehanna. Good fishing at all times. First-class accommodations." A photo of the McCall's Ferry Hotel and links to other historical photos from the surrounding Martic Township area are available on the Conestoga Area Historical Society's Web site (thanks to Rita over on Flickr for locating the hotel photo).

"Wallace Hotel, H. C. Winger, proprietor, Cumberland and Wallace Streets, Harrisburg, Pa., meal ticket. Name ____________. Raysor, printer."

"Lewis Motor Court. One mile south of twin tubes on U.S. 41. Chattanooga, Tenn." Sign at the top of the building closest to the road: "Lewis Modern Cabins." Printed on the back of this linen postcard: "Lewis Motor Court. 28 modern cottages, each equipped for comfort and convenience, quiet and only 7 minutes from city center. Telephone 2-9286. K 4893."

"Old South Manor Motor Court & Restaurant on U.S. 17, 4½ mi. S., Savannah, Ga." Signs: "Old South Manor Hotel Tourist Court. Restaurant. AAA." Inset: "Reading lounge and lobby." Printed on the back of this linen postcard: "Old South Manor Motor Court and Restaurant on U.S. 17, 4½ mi. S., Savannah, Ga. Very attractive court on beautiful landscaped grounds. 40 unusually inviting accommodations beautifully furnished....Attractive reading lounge with television for our guests....Well known for a variety of good food, served in atmosphere of southern courtesy at moderate prices."

"Stiles Motel Statesboro, on Routes 301 and 25, 453 S. Main St., Statesboro, Ga." Printed on the back of this linen postcard: "Stop in comfort at Stiles Motel Statesboro, 453 S. Main Street, Statesboro, Ga. (Next to Mrs. Bryant's (AAA) Restaurant). On U.S. 301 and 25. Shortest routes to Florida. Enjoy this delightful motel with its exceptionally pleasing color harmony and comfort; its spacious fireproof accommodations with terrazzo floors, beauty-rest mattresses, tile baths, radiant electric heat, and optional air conditioning. Room TV or radio."

"For the 'rest' of your life. Chestnut Circle C Lodge, Arnett, Oklahoma, east of city on U.S. 60 and 283. The Best Western Motels. B.W.M." Sign: "Circle C Lodge. Vacancy. Panel Ray Heat. Westwood Furniture. Foam Rubber Mattress. Air Conditioned. AAA. Printed on the back of this linen postcard: "Chestnut Circle C Lodge, on U.S. 60 and 283, Arnett, Oklahoma. Café nearby, 16 units, tile baths, carpeted floors, panel ray vented hear, GE refrigeration, mahogany interior finish. Westwood furniture, foam rubber mattresses, garages, GE electric blankets. T.V. and radio in rooms.

"Hawk & Wetherbee, The Windsor, Fifth Avenue, New York." Samuel Hawk and Gardner Wetherbee--in business together as "Hawk & Weaterbee"--managed the Windsor Hotel, which tragically burned to the ground on St. Patrick's Day in 1899. For more information, see The Lost Windsor Hotel -- 5th Avenue and 46th Street .

"Mrs. P. C. Williams, rooms for tourists, bath, free garage, 1211 Allegheny St., Hollidaysburg, Pa. Kozy and komfortable. Rooms for tourists. Drive in."

A selection for the Vintage Photos Theme Park of a favourite photo (this can be a family photo or a found photo, and if you would like to say why it's a favourite, that would be wonderful) . I have lots of family photos that I treasure, and I have many found photos that I enjoy. I'm not sure that I could select just one single photo, but I can offer a particular type of photo as my favorite. I guess you could say that the kind of photos I like best are the ones that pose questions. These are typically found photos rather than family ones, and some of the questions they pose are: - Who is that person? (See, for example, Elias M. Baugher, Teacher and Who Was That Masked Santa? ) - What is that thing? (See One-Man Music Machine and Giant Portable Underwood Typewriter .) - What's going on here? (See Breakfast in the Women's Dorm and Braving the Whirlpool Rapids at Niagara Falls .) - What the heck? (See Group Portrait with Man Smoking and Sykes Ranch, Aberdeen, Mississippi, 1956 .) The fun part, of course, is trying to answer the question that a photo is asking. Sometimes there's an easy answer, but often there's no solution to the puzzle a photo presents. Which brings me to this photo, which I've captioned as a question-- Hosed Down at Hotel Wells? This is a what's-going-on-here photo in which it seems that folks from near and far have come to see--well, I'm not sure what's taking place. Mouse over the photo to see an enlargement of the action in the middle of the street and my notes about some of the details I've noticed. Any idea what's going on?

For more information, see the full version of this photo:

Sign: "This Is It! Restaurant. Cabins. Heated. Steaks, chops, chicken." Printed on the back of this linen postcard: "This Is It! The Place to Dine. Our every desire is to please you--not only with food and service, but with our surroundings as well! If you like logs--knotty pine--a huge fireplace, and a cheery atmosphere THIS IS IT! Restaurant, service station, log cottages. Located 6 miles east of Harrisburg on Rt. 22. Telephone 56368. Mellinger Studios."

A vintage luggage label from the Hotel Astoria in Vienna, Austria.

"Merchants Hotel, corner of Smithfield and Third Sts., Pittsburgh. S. H. Rial, proprietor." S. H. Rial used this tiny business card to promote the hotel he managed, and he also placed the following advertisement in the Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pa.), July 6, 1866, p. 2. MERCHANTS' HOTEL. Corner Smithfield and Third Streets, Pittsburgh. This old favorite hotel, having been thoroughly renovated, repaired, and refurnished, is now open for the reception of guests. The proprietor (formerly of St. Charles) expects from its central location, his experience, determination to please, and by moderate charges, to deserve and receive a liberal patronage. S. H. Rial, proprietor.