Peck's Vacation Cottages – Then & Now

It may seem quaint now, but for decades many families happily spent part of their summer vacation on the shore of Lake Erie at one of the small cottage resorts that dot the roadside from Vermilion to Port Clinton. These vacationers probably looked forward to relaxing and enjoying the cooling breezes off the lake, just as much as families do now that are anticipating the fun of a trip to Walt Disney World.

It was a different time. Above is an undated vintage postcard of one of these small resorts – Peck's Vacation Cottages – that captures that feeling. The back of it reads, "A complete vacation center on the shores of Lake Erie. 30 modern 1 to 5 room cottages, Heated Swimming Pool, Restaurant, Basketball, Shuffleboard, Horseshoes, Badminton, Ping Pong, Children's Playground on 4 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. Located 5 miles west of Vermilion, Ohio on Routes 2 and U.S. 6.

(I first wrote about Peck's Cottages back here in a 4-part series.)

Here's my recent "Now" shot. Unfortunately, the pool is closed for the duration.

Today the former Peck's Vacation Cottages have been absorbed into Beulah Beach (which I also wrote about several times).

Peck’s Cottages – Part 4

I had real difficulty getting a nice “now” shot of the above postcard showing the Peck store with the cottages in the background. The weather comically conspired to make my task difficult each time I drove out towards Vermilion to get my photo.

Even though it was sunny in Sheffield Lake, by the time I got to the former Peck’s, it was either raining or overcast. This happened twice.

On another attempt, the weather was again crummy when I arrived. So I kept on going towards Huron, hoping the weather would change. It did, and got sunny – so I turned around and roared back towards my destination at “ramming speed" – only to find that it was overcast again. Sigh.

Eventually I got this shot (below).

By the way, the large building in the photo is now called “the Cafe.”

Here’s a view of the cottages behind it.

Remember the vintage Peck’s postcard of the pool that I posted yesterday (below)?

Although it’s just a memory now, you can still see it near Lake Road in this outdated aerial view. Hey, wha' happened to the trees?

Hope you enjoyed this look back at Peck’s Cottages. 

Peck’s Cottages – Part 3

All postcards courtesy of CardCow.com

It’s impossible not to feel the pangs of nostalgia when looking at vintage postcards of Peck’s Cottages.

The postcards reveal a different era, when many families headed to the shores of Lake Erie for their annual week at a cottage. There, they enjoyed the cooling lake breezes while they played, swam, sunbathed and relaxed.

The resort amenities listed on the backs of the cards above include: a heated swimming pool, restaurant, basketball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, badminton, ping pong and a children’s playground.

Here’s another one, courtesy of the great Post Card Spinner Rack website, where a vintage postcard aficionado has lovingly put his collection on display for all to enjoy.

The back of it reads:

"PECKS TOURIST AND VACATION COURT on Lake Erie is a complete Vacation Center. 38 all modern cottages and cabins, restaurant, shuffleboard, outdoor fireplaces, swimming, horseshoes and joyous loafing. 4 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. Ohio Route 2 and U. S. 6. 4 miles west of Vermilion, Ohio.”

A 1964 Cleveland Press photo of the swimming pool at Peck’s Cottages recently appeared on Ebay (below).

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Harry J. Peck passed away on August 10, 1967. His obituary in the Sandusky Register stated that he had been a Vermilion resident and former teacher that “formerly owned and operated Peck’s Cottages, five miles west of here, for 14 years.”

His wife, Freda Peck, passed away in 2003.

Lloyd Moats, the original owner of the cottage property when it was one of his many tourist camps, passed away in September 1977. His obituary in the Lorain Journal noted, “Born April 7, 1889 in Berlin Heights, he had been a fruit grower in his early years and later owned and operated five motels on West Lake Road.”

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Through several changes in ownership, Peck’s Cottages managed to hang on to around 2000. The cottage listing disappeared from the Lorain phone book in 2001; a listing for Peck’s General Store – with the same address as the cottages – last appeared in the 2002 book.

Today, the former Peck’s Cottages is part of the Beulah Beach Camp & Retreat Center.

Next: The Inevitable Then & Now photo

Peck’s Cottages – Part 2

So when did one of Lloyd Moats' cottage camps become Peck’s Cottages? For that, I had to do a little digging.

An April 19, 1947 article in the Sandusky Register noted that Harry J. Peck was the man associated with Moats’ Camp No. 2. The article pointed out that Peck had recently been named president of the recently organized Lake Erie Playground Association. Other member businesses mentioned in the article included Lake View Cabins, Cask Villa, Colonial Villa, Wild Waves and Hartley’s Beach. The article stated, “The group intends to prepare circulars for distribution of the various vacation resorts in the area through information bureaus in Huron and Vermilion."

The Tourist & Trailer Camps listings in the Lorain Telephone Company directory eventually revealed when the changeover from Moat’s to Peck’s took place.

The October 1947 edition of the Lorain Telephone Company directory included what would be the last listing for Moat’s Cabins No. 2 (below).

By the time of the 1948 phone directory listing (below), Moat’s Cabins No. 2 would have a new name: Peck’s Tourist & Vacation Court. The phone number remained the same.

The 1950 directory included two listings for Peck’s, one with and one without the reference to Moat’s Cabins No. 2 (below).

It’s interesting seeing all the different cottages, trailer camps and motels listed. There are a few I’ve already covered on the blog (such as Hialeah and Grandview). And one of them is coming up next, right after Peck’s!

Next: Vintage Peck’s Cottages postcard views

Peck’s Cottages – Part 1

Summer’s beginning to wind down, so let’s head back out to Vacationland for a while longer. Today’s destination: Peck’s Cottages.

Peck’s Cottages was located on West Lake Road (U.S. 6) where it intersects with Joppa Road about five miles west of Vermilion.

The small cottage resort was originally one of three owned by Lloyd W. Moats of Berlin Heights. The Moats family had deep farming roots in Erie County and is profiled in A Standard History of Erie County, Ohio (1916).

Lloyd W. Moats had a successful fruit farm as well. In November 1939, according to an article in the Sandusky Register, he sold five carloads of apples to the Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation, “the largest number by any single grower in any week since the purchasing program has been in progress here.” But by the early 1940s, he focused on his cottages, cabins and motel business. (According to the Sandusky Register, his equipment used to produce cider and wine was for sale in 1939, and the Moats farm itself was listed for sale or lease in 1942.)

A vintage postcard exists that shows some of the cottages at Moat’s Modern Camp near Mitiwanga. It’s unclear as to exactly which camp is depicted.

The back of the vintage postcard, which provides a description of the three cottage camps and their approximate location, has this information:

"Three Modern Tourist Camps, one mile apart on Lake Erie at Mitiwanga between Huron and Vermilion, O. State Route 2, U. S. Route 6. All three Camps have Electricity, Gas, Hot and Cold Running City Water, Showers, Flush Toilets and Telephones. Free Bathing, Parking, Picnicing, Play Grounds, Boating, Fishing. New Furniture, Inner Spring Mattresses. Specially equipped for over night, week, month or season. Cooking allowed in cabins.

Moats' Modern Camp No. 1 – 20 Cabins – 34 Beds
Moats’ Tourist Camp No. 2 – 40 Cabins – 50 Beds
Moats’ Willow Haven Camp No. 3 – 10 Cabins – 30 Beds

Both single and double cabins for (2 or 3) (4 or 5) guests. Reservations, write L. W. Moats, Berlin Heights, Ohio – Owner and Proprietor.”

Note that all three camps are identified as being "at Mitiwanga,” which is only a mile from what later became Peck’s Cottages.

Anyway, you can learn more about Lloyd Moats and his various tourist properties, as well as many of the other resorts by visiting the ‘Vacationland’ page on the Lake Shore Rail Maps website.

Next: A Change in Name