San Luis Obispo County CA Archives Photo Place.....The Motel Inn, San Luis Obispo 
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THE MOTEL INN 
2223 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo

History and Description:

The Motel Inn claims to be the first motel in the world. The word motel
originated in San Luis Obispo, California. It stems from the combination of
"motor hotel".

Arthur Heineman who was the architect for the building originated the name in
1924.  The word never entered the dictionary until 1950.

The architecture of the Motel Inn was California Spanish Revival.  The land on
which the building was built was owned by Neil Cook, and the construction was
subsidized by the Milestone Corporation.

The motel was part of the "Hamilton Chain of Hotels", stretching from San Diego
to San Francisco.  Harry Elliott, who was a partner in this chain, managed the
motel when it first opened.  The motel could accommodate 160 and was considered
by many as an exclusive hotel.

The rooms or "bungalows" as they were called, were separate units, each
containing its own shower, bathtub, washbasin, toilet, and telephone.  Each
bungalow had central heating throughout and garages were available for each
room.  Some of the rooms also contained kitchenettes.

The Spanish motif was carried out throughout the buildings.  There was a Spanish
lantern at every entrance. The main desk in the lobby was made of copper and
bounded with strips of wrought iron like a Spanish chest.

The office and dining room were situated in the foreground with a "ramada" or
corridor connecting them.  There were windows on both sides of the corridor with
one side facing the highway and the other facing the court space around which
the buildings were centered.

The motel opened on December 12, 1925 and today resembles its original
condition, with the exception of a swimming pool which is located in the central
courtspace, and a number of signs and billboards.

Sources:
San Luis Obispo Daily Telegram. December 12, 1925 and January 27, 1926
San Luis Obispo County Museum
Louisiana Dart, Curator, San Luis Obispo County Historical Museum, who attended
the opening


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Discovering San Luis Obispo County
by
Carleton M. Winslow


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