How the Kayann Got Its Name

Vintage Postcard

If you live in the Lorain area, I’m sure you’ve driven by the Kayann Motel & Apartments on East Erie, just west of St. Anthony Church, many times.

Once advertised as “Lorain’s Finest Luxury Apartments & Motel,” it was only a few years ago that the signs indicating that motorists were welcome were finally removed.

Did you ever wonder how the Kayann got its name? It’s revealed in the caption accompanying the photo below, which ran in the Lorain Journal on July 15, 1953. At the time, the first apartment building was under construction.

As noted, Ronald A. Whitbeck was the man behind the construction of the apartments. You probably guessed that the name ‘Kayann’ had some personal significance to Mr. Whitbeck. It was the combination of the middle names of his two daughters, Marlene Kay and Patricia Ann. Very catchy indeed!

Marlene Kay was mentioned on this blog before on this post. As “Miss Vacationland” of 1953, she was featured in a photo (below) congratulating Darlene Ehrlich, the winner in 1954.

Kayann Motel & Apts. Then and Now

Here's a nice vintage postcard of the stately Kayann Motel and Apartments on East Erie Avenue.

The complex first showed up in the Lorain Telephone Book in 1957 as the Kayann Apartments Hotel. Here's the ad, with their unique 'motorist' hotel designation.

By 1960, the name had changed slightly, to the Kayann Motel & Apartments. For a look at their 1963 ad along with their competitors, click here.

It was only in the last few years that I noticed that the words 'motorist motel' was taken down from both of their matching signs. The place is still in business as an apartment house, however, and looks very much the same as it did when it opened.

It's nice to know that the place is still in business, although they apparently no longer beckon to tired, cross-country motorists on US 6 as a place to spend the night.

1963 Motel Listings in Lorain Phone Book

Lorain and the surrounding cities had a great selection of motels back in the 1960's. Check out all the various choices that were available to travelers in the 1963 motel listings shown above. (Give it a click!)

I love looking at old ads like these. Some of these places will get the full blog treatment here eventually – some very soon!

Sadly, most of these are no longer motels. Anchor Lodge is now a nursing home; the site of Aqua Marine is now a luxury condo development; Vian's is long gone, replaced by the Residence condo development; Beaver Shore Motel has closed. The Kayann Motel & Apartments is still there and looks exactly the same, but no longer advertises itself as a 'motorist motel'.

However, not all of the motels are gone. The Elyria Holiday Inn is still around, as is Motel Plaza in Vermilion. Foster House Motel is now the Lake Motel; the Beachcomber is now the Erieview Motel. And as I pointed out in my previous entry, the Grandview Motel is now Parkview Motel. And the Shoreway Motel is still there too.

I remember looking at these motel listings in the phone book as a kid, wondering what it would be like to vacation in Lorain rather than live here! The ads sure made it look like a vacation wonderland!