Queen of the Lakes Mobile Home Park – April 28, 1965

One of my favorite Sunday afternoon drives is following scenic U. S. Route 6 from Vermilion through Huron to Sandusky. It's easy to forget what year it is, seeing the small Mom and Pop motels that have somehow survived; the tidy, white cottages for rent; the roadside amenities such as soft frozen custard stands; the small independent convenient stores; and the many trailer parks that make lakefront living an option for people who otherwise would not be able to afford a house on the lake.

Speaking of those mobile home parks, one of the nicer ones – Queen of the Lakes – opened sixty years ago at the end of April 1965. Above is the photo and caption from the April 28, 1965 Journal making the announcement.

It notes, "Queen of the Lakes, believed to the the largest mobile home park on Routes 2 and 6 between Cleveland and Toledo, opened this week. Stan Barylski, standing at the right wing of the park entrance west of Ruggles Beach, said that 18 sites are now available, 30 more by June 1, and nearly 150 more as the demand arises. The park has its own sewage disposal system and has a 1,500-foot frontage on Lake Erie."

Getting the mobile home park apparently wasn't easy, as noted in this article in the Journal from April 19, 1963.

But in the end the project moved forward and ads began to appear in 1964.

Nov. 14, 1964

After the opening in April 1965, ads in the classified section ran regularly.

Today the park looks nice and well-maintained, its entrance still possessing a regal appearance befitting its name.