- Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo
-
The former Milestone Mo-Tel San Luis Obispo, California, 2005.
Created in 1925 by Arthur Heineman, the Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo (originally known as the Milestone Mo-Tel) is the first motel in the world.[1] It is located in San Luis Obispo, California.
Contents
Concept
The emergence and popularization of the automobile in the United States of the early 20th century inspired many car owners beyond commuting into town. The poor roads of the era combined with the vehicle speeds and reliability required two or more days of nearly all day driving for 400-mile trips such as Los Angeles to San Francisco. Nearby destinations of 40 miles or less could be visited in a day to include a return trip. Longer trips requiring an over night stay often left travelers looking for places to pitch tent or to sleep in their automobile if arrangements hadn't been made ahead to destinations and stopovers that also happen to have hotels or inns.
The lack of niche accommodations to fill the need for automobile travelers who only needed an overnight stay to continue their trip inspired many entrepreneurs. The combination of the convenience of a campground with the comforts and respectability of a hotel or inn spurred the creation of the motel. Arthur S. Heineman picked San Luis Obispo for the first Milestone Mo-Tel as a mid-point location between Los Angeles and San Francisco which took two days of driving on the roads at the time.Architecture
The original plan of the Milestone Mo-Tel was to include both bungalows and attached apartments with parking outside each unit, though some would have a private garage. Each location of the chain was to include laundry facilities, a grocery store, and a restaurant.
Each unit included an indoor bathroom with a shower, obviously a level of privacy not found at campgrounds. Heineman's first "Mo-Tel" sign garnered reports of an apparent misspelling. He added the hyphen to emphasize the compound nature of the word and the building's architecture and use.
The exterior of the buildings were modeled after the Spanish missions in California; the three-stage bell tower was a reflection of the Mission Santa Barbara.Business
The motel cost $80,000 to build in 1925. It originally charged $1.25 per night per room.[2]
Incorporated as the Milestone Interstate Corporation. Capital was raised from investors to complete the chain. Heineman was unable to register the name as a trademark which allowed competitors to use the name. Severe competition in the market as well as competitors with lesser designs but lower pricing also hampered his chain from getting off the ground.
Today
The current name for the Milestone Mo-Tel is the Motor Inn. The motel closed in 1991 and is now owned by the Apple Farm, located next door. The motel is located at the end of Monterey Street next to the on ramp to U.S. Route 101 in California. Many of the buildings were torn down in 2006, only two fragments of the original buildings exist including the mission style bell tower. [3]
References
- ^ Jackson, Kristin (25 April 1993). "The World's First Motel Rests Upon Its Memories". Seattle Times. http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=1697701&date=19930425. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
- ^ Zorn, Eric (15 August 2006). "World's first motel a site worth saving". Chicago Tribune. http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2006/08/worlds_first_mo.html. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
- ^ Roadside Dreamin by Matthew W. Roth
External links
- Chicago Tribune "Change of Subject" column
- Public Radio - Savvy Traveler "The Very First Motel" by Rachel Anne Goodman
Categories:- History of San Luis Obispo County, California
- Motels in the United States
- Hotels established in 1925
- Hotels in California
- Buildings and structures in San Luis Obispo County, California
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
