Foster House Motel Then & Now

To wrap up this look at vintage Lorain County motels, here's a then-and-now look at the Foster House Motel at 3917 W. Lake Road. The above undated postcard shows the motel in its early days.

The earliest Lorain phone book that I could find that had a listing for the motel was 1953 with its location at Stop 109 W. Lake Road. Early ads advertised 18 "new and modern brick units" and baseboard heat in every room. "We cater to salesmen" was their motto.

The motel is unique in its appearance in that the brick gives the solid feeling of a real home (or more appropriately, a foster home I guess.)

Here's how the motel looks today as the Lake Motel.

More than fifty years after its opening, the motel now backs up to some good-sized trees. With the exception of a new paint scheme, the motel looks pretty much the same.

Together with its next door neighbor the Shoreway Motel, the Lake Motel continues to welcome US 6 travelers with a taste of 1950's hospitality.