Host of the Highway: The Rise and Fade of Howard Johnson’s, America’s Orange‑Roofed Icon (1925-2022).
FEATURE Image: Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodge and Restaurant Myrtle Beach, SC. Howard Johnson’s reshaped the American roadside, turning a patchwork of unpredictable stops into a network of bright, dependable landmarks. Its orange roofs, neon signs, and motor lodges became part of the visual grammar of mid‑century travel, signaling consistency in an era when the open…
Opened and in continuous operation since 1942, Leon’s in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is still owned by the original family. The Drive-In served as inspiration for Arnold’s in the 1970’s popular TV sitcom “Happy Days.”
FEATURE image: Late afternoon at Leon’s Frozen Custard in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. June 2017. Author’s photograph. (4.53mb, DSC_0728). Leon’s original sign. By victorgrigas – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0. Leon’s is a family-owned drive-in in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that opened 83 years ago – in 1942. The building was remodeled in the early 50’s and is what…
RAY KROC’S VERY FIRST MCDONALD’S FRANCHISE RESTAURANT started in 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois, is slated to meet the wrecking ball.
FEATURE image: McDonald’s, 1967. “Toledo, McDonald’s 1967” by DBduo Photography is marked with CC BY-SA 2.0. By John P. Walsh A closed-down weather-beaten replica of the very first McDonald’s franchise restaurant started by Ray Kroc (1902-1984) on April 15, 1955 standing on its original site in Des Plaines, Illinois, is slated to be demolished by McDonald’s Corporation with its…
