Homestead Inn – Part 1

Just a few miles to the south of the Milan Travel Park on U. S. 250 was the Homestead Inn.

The back of the vintage postcard above describes the Homestead Inn: “40 Unit Motel – Victorian Restaurant serving excellent food and stockyard steaks – Cocktails – Antiques – Swimming Pool – Aircraft landing strip – Farm Animals – Auto Service Center – Route 250 at Ohio Turnpike Exit 7.”

Here’s another vintage postcard view (below). You can see how the property had evolved over time.

The back of this postcard reads, “HOMESTEAD FARMS – Homestead Inn Restaurant, Motels (75 Units), Cocktail Lounge “Some Place Else,” Auto Service Center. Farms raise Polled Hereford cattle for prime beef in the restaurant. Purebred Arabian horses and other farm animals. Antiques, swimming pool, aircraft landing strip.”

By the time of this 1990 postcard (below), signage had been added to the wall near the motel. As described on the postcard, the property was now called Homestead Inn Motels. It states, “This complex has 75 rooms for Lodging, Pool and Restaurant. Homestead is near Lake Erie, fishing, beaches and Cedar Point. Historic Milan with Thomas Alva Edison’s Birthplace and 6 Museum Bldgs., 2 miles. Mfgs. Outlet Mall 1/2 mile.”

Meanwhile, the restaurant – which held its Grand Opening in August 1958 – was being featured on its own postcards. This postcard (below) from 1962 advertises steaks, chops, chicken and sea-food, as well as a coffee shop, select wines and private dining rooms. It mentions that "motel & aircraft landing facilities” were available.

Here’s a newer version, dating from when the motel had 75 rooms. The postcard (with photograph by Tom Root) mentions that they raise their own beef. It also promotes the “Some Place Else” Cocktail Lounge.

Here's a slightly different version.

And here's the aforementioned Cocktail Lounge (below). Looks pretty cozy.

Lastly, here's a menu currently on Ebay.

Click here to read about Jeanette Russell Henry, founder and general manager of the Homestead Inn Restaurant from 1957 to 1974.

Next: the Homestead Inn today