Howard Johnsons Motor Lodge located at 473 Eisenhower Blvd. in Harrisburg,PA. This Motor Lodge is the last remaining “Howard Johnson” still displaying a lamplighter weathervane. The owners of this motor lodge have put a lot of work into their property while keeping the original fixtures yet modernizing the property to fit with the current times. The orange roof still remains intact although some of the orange tiles were removed in the mid 1990’s for a minor stucco treatment. Nevertheless the owners were able to keep the cupola and about 3/4 of the original roof and have shown a strong dedication to keeping the guests feel welcome and experience the last of an era. After a long talk with the manager on duty I learned quite a bit about the property. It turns out a dropped ceiling was installed in the gate lodge but was removed after bus smashed into the seven foot high car canopy. The wooden beams inside the motor lodge were twisted and the decision was made to remove the messed up ceiling, repair the beams, and keep the ceiling open to expose the woodwork. The restaurant located adjacent to the motor lodge has not fared as well as the motor lodge. It lost much of its orange roof in the mid 1980s when the “Howard Johnsons” company started struggling big time and made attempts to “modernize” the ailing chain of restaurants. The new concept restaurant was called “Deli Baker Ice Cream Maker” which turned out to be an ultimate failure for Howard Johnsons. By the late 1980’s Deli Baker had closed and the orange roof was completely gone, the building would sit vacant for the next few years before being heavily remodeled both inside and out. The remodel uncovered a few things such as the simple-simon symbol printed on the terrazzo floor, which was carefully removed and presented to the person who first managed the restaurant. In the early 1990’s the building became a local steakhouse, which operated under the name “Doc Holiday’s Steak & Ale House”. Doc Holiday’s closed in 2007 and only a few months later went under yet another remodel to become a new independent restaurant, which is operating under the name.
I have more than fifty photos of the award winning last of its kind property, which show the “Howard Johnson” and former “Howard Johnsons Restaurant” as of July 2009.
A few out of state license plates in the parking lot of the Motor Lodge made it clear that this place which is one of 15+ hotels in Harrisburg was picked for its originality and clean rooms!
© All Rights Reserved
© All Rights Reserved
Howard Johnsons Motor Lodge located at 473 Eisenhower Blvd. in Harrisburg,PA. This Motor Lodge is the last remaining “Howard Johnson” still displaying a lamplighter weathervane. The owners of this motor lodge have put a lot of work into their property while keeping the original fixtures yet modernizing the property to fit with the current times. The orange roof still remains intact although some of the orange tiles were removed in the mid 1990’s for a minor stucco treatment. Nevertheless the owners were able to keep the cupola and about 3/4 of the original roof and have shown a strong dedication to keeping the guests feel welcome and experience the last of an era. After a long talk with the manager on duty I learned quite a bit about the property. It turns out a dropped ceiling was installed in the gate lodge but was removed after bus smashed into the seven foot high car canopy. The wooden beams inside the motor lodge were twisted and the decision was made to remove the messed up ceiling, repair the beams, and keep the ceiling open to expose the woodwork. The restaurant located adjacent to the motor lodge has not fared as well as the motor lodge. It lost much of its orange roof in the mid 1980s when the “Howard Johnsons” company started struggling big time and made attempts to “modernize” the ailing chain of restaurants. The new concept restaurant was called “Deli Baker Ice Cream Maker” which turned out to be an ultimate failure for Howard Johnsons. By the late 1980’s Deli Baker had closed and the orange roof was completely gone, the building would sit vacant for the next few years before being heavily remodeled both inside and out. The remodel uncovered a few things such as the simple-simon symbol printed on the terrazzo floor, which was carefully removed and presented to the person who first managed the restaurant. In the early 1990’s the building became a local steakhouse, which operated under the name “Doc Holiday’s Steak & Ale House”. Doc Holiday’s closed in 2007 and only a few months later went under yet another remodel to become a new independent restaurant, which is operating under the name.
I have more than fifty photos of the award winning last of its kind property, which show the “Howard Johnson” and former “Howard Johnsons Restaurant” as of July 2009.
A few out of state license plates in the parking lot of the Motor Lodge made it clear that this place which is one of 15+ hotels in Harrisburg was picked for its originality and clean rooms!
© All Rights Reserved