Kensington-on-the-Lake Ad – March 21, 1964

I've lived in Vermilion since May of 2018, but am still learning my way around the city. Much like my hometown of Lorain, a river runs through it – and you tend to spend more time on the side that you live on. Thus there are areas of town that I just haven't explored.

Thus when I saw the ad above for Kensington-on-the-Lake in the 'Suburban Property' section of the March 21, 1964 Journal, I didn't immediately recognize that the area it was promoting. It turns out that it's actually part of the Vermilion-on-the-Lake neighborhood, just a few minutes from where I live now.

The ad is a study in contrasts. On one hand, it seems designed to appeal to those with a taste for the finer things in life, with its promise of an "Exclusive Country Club membership facilities and private beach and play area." But it specifically reaches out to Ford workers, mentioning that it is only 2 1/2 miles to the Ford Plant, which is also depicted on the map to the model home.

Speaking of that map, it seems to be a little off (as usual), if one expects to find the same model home in the photo located where it is shown in the drawing. A short drive over to Berkely and Kensington shows a different house (with no attached garage) on that corner.

Drive down Kensington, and you'll find the same house as the model home (sans garage), over and over.

But what's nice is that many of the home owners remodeled their houses (changing the roof line, etc.) making each one unique and distinctive. Best if all, the homes are affordable and still a short walk from the lake – the point of the 1964 ad.