HOWARD JOHNSON'S (page 1)

The Howard Johnson's restaurant and hotel chain started out in Massachusetts in 1925 with a roadside ice cream stand. It grew into a restaurant and, by 1935, there were 25 Howard Johnson's ice cream and sandwich stands in MA. Expansion continued down the Atlantic Coast all the way to Florida. By the late 1930s, there were more than 100 locations. In 1954, Howard Johnson's opened its first Motor Lodge in Savannah, GA. By the late 1970s, there were over 1,000 restaurants and more than 500 motor lodges. In the mid-1980s, the company dropped the "apostrophe-s" and became Howard Johnson. Howard Johnson decided to focus on its more profitable hotel business and gradually began phasing out its restaurants. There are now only three remaining: Lake George, NY; Lake Placid, NY and Bangor, ME. Many of these former Howard Johnson restaurant and motor lodge buildings have been adapted by other businesses. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Howard Johnson's Lake George, NY

The Lake George Howard Johnson's is one of the handful of survivors. It opened in 1953 and was the last of the chain to features the finned cupola and Lamplighter weathervane. This is not to be confused with the Howard Johnson Tiki Resort just down the street.

Howard Johnson's Lake Placid, NY	Howard Johnson's Bangor, ME

The Lake Placid Howard Johnson's opened in 1956 and is still in business. However, there is now only a trace of the orange roof and the sign has been updated. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. The Bangor Howard Johnson's still survives but has been drastically altered (inside and out) to fit in with their modern-looking, adjacent Inn. In 2008, it was announced that the property is for sale. For more, see their website.

former Howard Johnson's in 2001 motor lodge gate house and restaurant Waterbury, CT

as the Brass House Restaurant in 2010 Waterbury, CT

This Waterbury was the last Howard Johnson's restaurant left in Connecticut. In 2007, the management was notified that it could no longer use the Howard Johnson name and had to remove all traces of its association with the chain. The motor lodge has been remodeled to the point that it is no longer recognizable. This restaurant opened in 1957 with the motor lodge opening in the early 1960s. Both structures were "environmentalized" in the 1970s, i.e., covered with wood panels and painted in earth tones. For more about this location, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.

Crystal Inn Neptune, NJ		Mike's Famous New Castle, DE

The Crystal Inn uses a nicely maintained former Howard Johnson's motor lodge gate house as its office. It is believed that William Franklin Cann designed the the original gate house building in 1958. This Neptune building still retains the original Lamplighter weathervane. There is no Howard Johnson's restaurant building on the property. For more, see their website. Mike's Famous, a Harley-Davidson dealer, restaurant, and museum, opened in 1999. It was built on the site of a former Howard Johnson's from 1957. Mike's restored the HoJo's gatehouse and used it as a take-out food stand. It is now used for storage and as a staff office. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

former Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge Framingham, MA	former Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge Stratford, CT	former Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge Milford, CT

The Framingham Howard Johnson's motor lodge building is now used by Best Western. For more, see this website. The Stratford Howard Johnson's opened in 1966. The motor lodge building is is now used by the Honeyspot Motor Lodge. For more, see this website. The Milford Howard Johnson's motor lodge opened in 1959. An adjacent existing restaurant was remodeled shortly thereafter to include the trademark orange roof and other features. The restaurant closed in 1999 and was remodeled again as a Friendly's. This gate lodge was an earlier design than those shown above. The motor lodge was condemned due to asbestos contamination and is now abandoned. There is a modern Howard Johnson Hotel located at the front of the property now. For more, see this website.

former Howard Johnson's Asbury Park, NJ

This Asbury Park location opened in 1962. In the late 1980s, there were ten Howard Johnson's restaurants in NJ, but this was the only one left. This was mostly due to the fact that Asbury Park had been basically abandoned for years. In 2005, the interior was stripped of its original furnishings. In 2006, the restaurant reopened. However, by 2007, the Howard Johnson's sign was gone and the restaurant was being renovated (bottom row, first photo). In 2007, it reopened as the Salt Water Beach Cafe. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Howard Johnson's [gone] Springfield, VT

This Springfield restaurant was built in 1965. In 2003 when these photos were taken, it still retained its finned cupola with weathervane. There was also Simple Simon and the Pieman artwork near the entrance. The interior featured the original counter and stools, terrazzo floor, as well as the "World of 28 Flavors" glasswork. The adjacent former HoJo's motor lodge had been converted into a modern Holiday Inn. This HoJo's closed and was demolished in 2005. For more, see this website.

Howard Johnson's [closed] Afton, VA	former Howard Johnson's Wilmington, DE

The Afton Howard Johnson's was built in 1948. The building was updated in the 1960s, removing the original dormers and adding the cupola. Although it closed in 1998 and was still vacant in 2008 when these photos were taken, the building still had the Lamplighter weathervane. By 2009, the steeple and weathervane were gone. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. The Wilmington Howard Johnson's from 1955 was converted into a Hollywood Grill in 2003. The roof was painted white but the steeple still remains for now. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge & Restaurant [closed] Harrisonburg, VA

The 1960s Harrisonburg Howard Johnson's restaurant and motor lodge are now closed. The motor lodge is owned by James Madison University which uses the rooms for student housing (aka Rockingham Hall). The restaurant, empty and stripped of its weathervane and signage, is still up for sale. The familiar orange roof has been painted white. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

former Howard Johnson's Albany, NY

In 2003 (top photos), the 1960 Albany Howard Johnson's restaurant was closed and undergoing "renovations". The Lamplighter sign is now gone. As of 2009 (bottom photo), the building was still vacant. The hotel was updated and rebranded as a Ramada Inn. For more, see this website.

former Howard Johnson's Williamstown, MA

The former Williamstown Howard Johnson's is one of the rare Colonial style survivors. Although it is now used as a bank and office space, most of the exterior design and details have been retained. The orange roof has given way to a more conservative color but the Simple Simon weathervane is still there. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

Howard Johnson's (page 2)

Main Eateries Page

Links & Books

[Main Roadside Page] [Home Page]

all photos contained at this website are copyrighted and may be used only with consent