The first motel in the world is located in
San
Luis Obispo, California. In the era of the car travel, vacationers can now drive
to their destination and spend the night in something that offers a bit
of comfort and convenience. Welcome to the 20th century and its concepts
of driving in a car on your vacation. There were no SUV nor RV's yet.
Folks either had to find traditional hotels, or camp out.
The plaque on the building reads, "Motel Inn.
This is the site of the world's original and first motel. Construction
started in 1925 at a cost of $80,000. The word 'motel' was first thought
of here by architect Arthur Heinemen. Dedicated October 22, 1988 by Native
Sons of Golden West, Frank Compani, Grand President And San Luis
Obispo Parlor No. 290"
In 1925, Los Angeles architect Arthur Heineman built
the first motel in San Luis Obispo, halfway between San Francisco and L.A.
He coined the term motel, meaning motor hotel, and named this first property
Milestone. For $1.25 a night, guests were issued a two-room bungalow
with a kitchen and a private adjoining garage. All the units faced a central
courtyard which housed the swimming pool and included picnic tables for
social gatherings.
Journey back to a time when only those with ample income
were privileged enough to stay all night in these for fee lodgings.
Most travelers either camped or stayed at home. The automobile had become
a status symbol and travel to California offered a promise land of blue
skies, blue oceans and fruits falling off the vines in advertisements published
in national magazines. The car was the star on this freedom
journey.
77 years later, the concept of
motel and hotel lodgings for pleasure travel is as strong as ever. This historic hotel sits
along a hotel row of 10 or so properties catering to travelers.
