Lyell Henry has graciously contributed the following digital images from his postcard collection. His postcards cover a unique period in American tourism–between the early roadside tent camps to the Holiday Inns, an era which has been slowly disappearing from our roadsides.
The images are listed alphabetically by town. To view them individually, click on the link, then click on the back arrow to return to this page. To review all the postcards quickly, click on the “Videos” tab above for a musical slide show. Six locations still operating are indicated below (next to the image), with a link to their website for more information.
Click here to read my blog post about Lyell Henry.
- Alexandria, The Lakes Motor Hotel, ca 1950s
- Anoka, Lake George, Night-O-Rest Cabin Camp, 1934
- Anoka, Lake George, Night-O-Rest Cabins #1, ca 1940
- Anoka, Lake George, Night-O-Rest Cabins #2, ca 1940s
- Anoka, Lake George, Night-O-Rest Cabins #3, ca 1940s
- Anoka, Lake George, Night-O-Rest Cabins #4, ca 1940s
- Anoka, Lake George, Night-O-Rest Cabins #5, ca 1950
- Anoka, Lake George, Night-O-Rest Motel, ca 1950s
- Austin, Miller Motel, ca 1950s
- Austin, Sunset Motel, ca 1950s
- Bemidji, Log Cabin Court, ca 1930s
- Big Lake, Big Lake Summer Resort, ca 1920s
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Bigfork, Scenic State Park, CCC built cabins, ca 1940s (still operating, click here)
- Blackduck, Blackduck Lake, North Point Resort, ca 1950s
- Blue Earth, Tourist Camp, ca 1930s
- Brainerd, Lyonais Cabins, ca 1940s
- Brainerd, Mississippi River, Tourist Camp, ca 1940
- Brainerd, Pine Woods Cabins, lake unknown, ca 1930s
- Brevik, Leech Lake, Lien’s Resort, ca 1930s
- Cleveland, Jefferson Lake, Hardegger Resort, ca 1940
- Cook, Johnson’s One Stop & Motel, ca 1950s (still operating, click here)
- Deer River, Ball Club Lake, Willow Beach, ca 1930
- Detroit Lakes, Tourist Camp Grounds, ca 1930s
- Duluth, North Shore Drive, Alpert’s Motel, ca 1960s
- Elk River, Jefferson Highway, ca 1920s
- Fairmont, Wilken Motel, ca 1950s
- Fergus Falls, La Plant Tourist Camp, ca 1930s
- Fergus Falls, Lakeland Motel, ca 1950s
- Garrison, Mille Lacs Lake, The Colony, ca 1930s
- Grand Marais, Tomteboda Motel, ca 1970s
- Grand Rapids, Evergreen Motor Court, ca 1950s
- Hackensack, Haase’s Ka-Ban-Nah Cabins, ca 1940
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Hackensack, Woman Lake, Green Roof Lodge, ca 1950s (still operating, click here)
- Hibbing, El Motel, ca 1950s
- Hibbing, Tourist Court #1, ca 1930s
- Hibbing, Tourist Court #2, ca 1930s
- Hines, Blackduck Lake, Resthaven Resort, ca 1932
- Hutchinson, Hutch Motel, ca 1960s
- International Falls, Teepee Motel, ca 1960s
- International Falls, Tourist Camp, ca 1930s
- Itasca State Park, Lake Itasca, Douglas Lodge, ca 1930s (still operating, click here)
- La Crescent, Ranch Motel, ca 1950s
- Lake City, Lake Pepin, Russell’s Motel Cabins, ca 1940s
- Lake City, Lake Pepin, Tourist Park, ca 1930s
- Little Falls, Mississippi River, Pine Edge Inn, ca 1947
- McGregor, Ekelunds, Hw 65, ca 1950s
- Minneapolis, Highway 65, Corn’s Court #1, ca 1950s
- Minneapolis, Highway 65, Corn’s Court #2, ca 1950s
- Moorhead, Bossart’s Motel, ca 1950s
- Moorhead, Tourist Rest Camp, 1924
- Onamia, Mille Lacs Lake, Izatys Resort, 1930s (still operating, click here)
- Orr, Johnson’s One Stop and Motel, ca 1950s (still operating, click here)
- Park Rapids, Fish Hook River, Hubbard’s Cabins, ca 1940
- Perham, Little Pine Lake, Possibly McDonalds or Pleasure Beach, ca 1926
- Perham, Little Pine Lake, Van Deventer Resort, ca 1926
- Pine City, Schwartzwald Motel, ca 1960s
- Pine River, Little Boy Lake, Little Boy Resort, ca 1940s
- Red Wing, Sterling Motel, ca 1950s
- Redwood Falls, Deluxe Tourist Court & Cafe, ca 1950
- Rochester, Clinic View Motel, ca 1970s
- Rochester, Kennedy Deluxe Cabins, ca 1940
- St. Paul, Tourist camp, 1924
- Wadena, Main Street & Jefferson Highway, ca 1920s
- Walker, Leech Lake, Pine Cone Resort, ca 1950s
- Waseca, Twilite Motel, ca 1960
- Waterville, Weiss Cabins, ca 1950
- Windom, Johnson Motel, ca 1960s
- Winona, Mississippi River, Winn-Tee-Pee Cabins, ca 1930s
- Winona, Sundown Motel, ca 1950s