A
complete Restaurant and Motor Lodge complex, Darien opened
in 1962. The property was constructed at the very dawn of
the Company's fully realized modern standardized style. While
property and room layouts had been toyed with since Rufus
Nims designed Little Rock, Darien was the culmination of Howard
Johnson's efforts to standardize its Lodges.
Perhaps
a showpiece of its efforts, the Darien facility was featured
in the May 24, 1963 issue of Time Magazine.
Cost of the excellently sited Motor Lodge in 1962 was over
$1.3 million!
Left:
Gate Lodge interior after middle 1980s renovation |
