Aloha Motor Lodge, Hilliard, FL (motel)

Name:Aloha Motor Lodge
Type:motel
Street:Route #1 on the St. Marys River
City:Hilliard
State:FL
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct

Description:
Just found this card today. Great A-frame. Did the usual search and didn't find anything. The motel had a restaurant. Not sure if the motel and restaurant shared the same name. To the far left you can make out part of a sign that looks like the end of an outrigger and some guy on the roof. I think I have the location pinned down with the Tiki Satellite. Give me a minute and I'll post the pics. Thanks.

[ Edited by: uncle trav 2009-06-01 08:47 ]

Here is a 1999 view of what I think is the proper location based on the back of the card.

Here is the 2009 view. Looks like the A-frame is gone.

Anyone out that way up for a drive-by? The site is north out of Hillard on the right just before crossing the river.

heres a closer look at the sign and the guy on the roof just for fun.

Trav,

I have this card from the Aloha Motor Lodge.

Not much help in defining further what was there. The back of the card says "Cocktail Lounge Nearby". Makes you think that there was nothing on-site.

DC

Nice card DC. The restaurant must have be on site. In the close-up of the "outrigger" sign you can make (sea food} and (all you can eat) and that NT has to to be the ending of restaurant? Now if they had a liquor license that's a different story. Maybe there was a shot'n a beer joint nearby.

Just found this postcard listed on ebay:

Looks like the sign changed at some point, and dig that huge Florida sign.

howlinowl

All gone now.

howlinowl

The beginning of the end. You can see the old Florida sign in the photo as well.

DC

This postcard clearly shows the restaurant on-site in the A-Frame building.

DC

The highway which passes through Hilliard is strewn with "old Florida" motels, many with remnants of built-in or immediately adjacent restaurants. Some have been rescued and restored, repurposed as small rehab or retirement communities, or in greater than half of what I see, are still in limited operation despite being in various states of disrepair. This is true for many of the Florida backroads which have been bypassed by modern superhighways. For urban archaeologists and photographers it's very rewarding to stop and check these out.