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 opened in 1953. It was the last location in the chain to feature the finned cupola and the Simple Simon and Pieman weathervane. This restaurant is not related to 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

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.

former Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge Milford, CT	former Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge Grand Rapids, MI

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. The Grand Rapids Howard Johnson's motor lodge was built in 1964. It now houses an America's Best Inn & Suites. The restaurant building is gone. 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 (page 2)

Howard Johnson's (page 3)

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