Roadside motels exhibit opens soon

[Laconia Historical]

The Laconia Historical and Museum Society is pleased to present its summer exhibition, “Are We There Yet? a history of roadside motels and cabin colonies,” on view at the Laconia Public Library from June 4-October 31, 2009.

The word ‘motel’ has been around since the 1920s but didn’t become a regular roadside fixture until the early 1950s. The earliest motels in the New England area were cabins built by homeowners and boarding houses to accommodate the roadside traveler. Soon pre-fabricated cabin colonies and motor courts of the 1930s-1940s paved way for the more modern motels situated along major tourist routes and highways. By 1964, there were an estimated 61,000 roadside lodging sites across the country.

“Are We There Yet?” will chronicle the development of roadside accommodations and the factors that account for the rise and fall of these architectural attractions. Special emphasis will be placed on motels and cabin colonies of Laconia, Lakeport and The Weirs. The Society thanks guest curators Fred Clausen of Proctor’s Lakehouse Cottages and LuAnn Walsh, former owner of Luann’s Cottages, as well as volunteer exhibition assistants Dave Ball and Mary Ellen Boudman. This project is co-sponsored by the Laconia Public Library and Lakes Region Association.

The Laconia Historical and Museum Society is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of the City of Laconia, New Hampshire, including Lakeport and The Weirs. Contact: Jennifer Carroll-Plante, Executive Director. PO Box 1126, Laconia, NH 03247. 603.527.1278. lhmslpl@metrocast.net. www.laconiahistorical.org.

[AC2717]

That Picture looks like a photo looking down Paugus Bay from Proctors, past the Naswa and down around the bend

Am I right?

[mcdude]

It sounds fascinating. I can't wait to see it! Many thanks to Fred, Dave, Mary Ellen and LuAnn for sharing their memorabilia with us all!

[lakehouse]

Some other important dates for the exhibit:

Opening Reception on Thursday June 4 - 6:00-7:00pm - Laconia Public Library

"Sleeping Alongside the Road" on Monday June 8 - 7:00PM - Laconia Public Library - lecture with Dr. Mark Okrant Professor of Tourism Management @ Plymouth State University with local emphasis on Laconia area motels with Fred Clausen owner of Proctor's Lakehouse Cottages in Weirs Beach

Old-fashioned "Weenie Roast" on Saturday September 26 - on the beach at Proctor's Lakehouse Cottages in Weirs Beach with a special presentation of "The Great Winnipesaukee Steamboat Race and Musical Talent Contest" by Streetcar Company

[Laconia Historical]

The image we used for our exhibit flyer is taken from an old Allen-A brochure, Wofeboro, NH. That's not to say the photo was taken on that side of the lake. Perhaps it was taken in a different location or maybe it was a stock photo used by the photographer in the 50s. I'll give a gold star to the person who can identify its exact location!!!!

Jenna Carroll-Plante, Exec. Director, Laconia Historical

[mcdude]

I'm thinking it actually was the beach at the Allen A resort....now a Wolfeboro town beach. My avatar is actually a cropped Allen A postcard.

The Allen A resort was quite the place. For anyone interested in learnimg more about this place follow the link below....or visit the exhibit!

ALLEN A RESORT

[john60ri]

Can't wait to see this exhibit when we're up there in August. Fascinating stuff! Your history forum is the best thing on this website. Wonderful nostalgia! McDude, your post cards and photos are terrific!

[Laconia Historical]

McDude--- you rock! I love the Allen-A pics.

[mcdude]

Originally Posted by Laconia Historical

I'll give a gold star to the person who can identify its exact location!!!!

Jenna Carroll-Plante, Exec. Director, Laconia Historical

When do I get my gold star?

[lakehouse]

AC2717 got the exact same feeling as I got when I saw the picture (I own Proctor's!!). You must go through the Channel a lot!!!

McDude seriously rocks (per Jenna). He has the most extensive display of Lakes Region "stuff" on the internet. He deserves a HUGH gold star and he can pick it up at the opening reception on 6/4 or the lecture night on 6/8 or even on 9/26 at the "Weenie Roast" @ Proctor's.

We are constructing the exhibit already and we hope to get more input from guests who stay at all the hospitality places over the Summer as they bring their memories with them to the exhibit. We welcome any additional information that any of the exhibit visitors can provide. We will even have a "Guest Registration Book" for comments...so bring your memories and enjoy our exhibit MANY times over the Summer.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

lakehouse is right, McDude seriously rocks and then some!!!

I just learned the History of the Lake Winnipesaukee Museum

The Museum’s property is itself an historic landmark and represents an era which changed the way Americans spent their summer vacations --- an example of the tradition of hospitality vital to the area’s history and economy since the 1800’s.

The property was purchased in 1923 by David O’Shan, a lifelong resident and long-time state legislator, who first had a poultry farm on the site. In the 1930’s, he developed the property into a cabin colony - the second one built in Laconia - as a place for visitors to stay while in the area. “Mr. Veteran,” as he was known, named the cabin colony the “Y.D. Cabins” after the “Yankee Division” of the Army in which he served during World War I.

The Museum building is the original residence and the yellow cottages nearby are part of the original cabin colony. One of the buildings is from the former Shangrila Resort.

The Lake Winnipesaukee Historical Society purchased the property in 1999 and spent five years developing and renovating the site. The Museum opened on a part-time basis in June 2004 and is now open year round, five days a week.

[Laconia Historical]

We invite you all to attend the opening reception of "Are We There Yet?" this Thursday June 4th between 6:00 and 7:00 pm at the Laconia Public Library.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Hello LH! I have added the opening event to our calendar. Laconia Public Library should add it to theirs too. Good luck! RG

[mcdude]

From the Laconia Citizen

Exhibit looks at travelers' 'cabin fever'

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Roadside traveling has always interested Jennifer Carroll-Plante. When she was a child, her family often went on day trips and she stared out the window watching all of America laid out before her.

As the Director of the Laconia Historical and Museum Society, Carroll-Plante said she always had some sort of New Hampshire travel exhibit in the back of her mind, but it wasn't until she met Fred Clausen, the owner of the Proctor's Lake House Cottages in The Weirs and the collector of thousands of post cards and memorabilia about road travel in New Hampshire, that the exhibit came together.

"Are We There Yet?" takes a nostalgic trip into the world of New Hampshire's cabin colonies and mid-1900s automobile travel; back to a time when almost nobody could afford to fly, when gas was cheap, cars were huge and the entire family would pile in for a trip to the White Mountains.

Opening tonight at the Laconia Public Library, Carroll-Plante, working with Clausen and LuAnn Walsh, the former owner of LuAnne's Cottages, has assembled a pictorial look through history.

"We concentrated on the 1930s through the 1960s," said Carroll-Plante, who said there were so many businesses that they decided to focus on just the ones in the city, thExe Weirs and the surrounding area.

There are a huge number of places that are still open, Carroll-Plante said, noting Christmas Island and the Naswa to name a few.

Carroll-Plante said she was really drawn in by the evolving architecture and how some of the cabin colonies morphed into motels. She said the cabins and motels were pretty popular in the outskirts of Laconia while the city itself was home to many hotels, including The Tavern.

She said the cabins continued to be individual units until the 1950s when the photos began to show a single roof line and they began to be called "motor courts."

Now those same motor courts are often converted into condominiums and owned as summer homes for out-of-state families.

Part of the show, Carroll-Plante said, is to show the "before and after" of some local cottages.

For one example, the row of cottages along Route 25 in Meredith is now made up of little shops. There are some old cabins across from Wal-Mart in Gilford that are being razed.

She said the evolution of cabin living evolved as hotels began to spring up and provide more amenities to travelers.

"The little Mom-and-Pop places just couldn't keep up," she said.

She also said the dynamic of the family vacation started to die out in the 1970s and 1980s.

"Gone are the days when the nuclear family hopped in the station wagons so parents could teach their children about the country," Carroll-Plante said.

Now, many resorts target "adult" and "romantic" getaways like Las Vegas and the Poconos.

"It has become very popular to leave the children behind," she said, noting that when the children do come, there are televisions and other distractions so they are less curious about the country that's passing by before their very eyes.

"Are We There Yet?" opens today at the Laconia Public Library and will continue through Oct. 31.

[mcdude]

from the Citizen

Roadside motels subject of talk at Wolfeboro museum


Monday, March 15, 2010
WOLFEBORO — The Wright Museum of World War II History will continue its weekly speaker series with a lecture titled "Are We There Yet? A History of Roadside Motels," on Sunday, March 21 at 2 p.m.

In the first half of the 20th century, Americans became increasingly mobile with the rise of the car culture. People traveled more for work and for leisure too. The result was an increased demand for inexpensive and convenient lodging in areas preferred by tourists such as the Lakes Region and the White Mountains. This illustrated talk, presented by Jennifer Caroll-Plante of the Laconia Historical and Museum Society, will explore the development of the motel from the 1920s to the 1960s.

Admission to the event is $5 and free for Wright Museum members. Seating is limited and RSVPs are encouraged by calling 569-1212. The Wright Museum is located at 77 Center St. in Wolfeboro.

In addition to the 2 p.m. lecture, the museum galleries will be open from noon to 4 p.m. Museum admission is included in the ticket price. For a full listing of the winter's lectures, visit the events page at www.wrightmuseum.org.

[john60ri]

I saw this exhibit at the Laconia Library back in August. It was terrific! Wish I had been able to be up at the Lake in those days.