Driving around the Ashland area always takes me right past the former Bonnie Dell Motel on U. S. 250. I gave it the “Then & Now” photo treatment back here in 2011 using the vintage, stained postcard shown above.
Although the strip of motel rooms behind the main house is long-gone, the property is of historic interest today. That’s because right next door is a historic monument honoring John Studebaker and the location of his farm and blacksmith shop. (Studebaker later founded a wagon works in South Bend, Indiana that evolved into the well-known automobile brand.)
Anyway, last month I received an email from Andrew Bennett, whose parents owned the Bonnie Dell property. He took the time to write me in appreciation for the post about the motel.
Andrew noted, “My father was the person who bought that property right before I was born and ended up tearing down the motel when I was only a few years old. If my memory serves me correctly, that was the result of some zoning dispute."
He also had a few treasures that he wanted to share.
"I was doing some cleaning and went through another box of his belongings that I hadn't checked in years, only to find the key to Room 5.”
Andrew also had a color postcard of the motel. Its view is very similar to that of the black and white one (although there are subtle differences in the trees and landscaping, as well as a parked car).
Anyway, Andrew was pleased to see that the Bonnie Dell Motel isn’t entirely forgotten. He noted, "Your blog posts appear to be the only remaining evidence online that the motel ever existed aside from some vintage aerial photography. Thank you for preserving local history.”
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| A 1971 aerial view, courtesy of VintageAerial.com |