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Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant, Hamden, Connecticut
Photographs December 19, 2001
 
 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant, Hamden, Connecticut
 
 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant, Hamden, Connecticut

Under the careful management of the Schaffers, Hamden had repeatedly won accolades over the years from local organizations and from Cendant's Howard Johnson International (HJI). In 2000 the then president of HJI, Mary Mahoney, attended a special ceremony at Hamden marking Howard Johnson's 75th anniversary and Hamden's 40th as a Motor Lodge.

A brief personal interview with Michael Schaffer in December of 2001 indicated that he was committed to the Howard Johnson brand and had made special efforts to retain the Gate Lodge with its Orange Roof and to place the lamplighter weather vane in a prominent spot in front of the Gate Lodge.

 
 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant, Hamden, Connecticut
Photographs courtesy of Phil Edwards
 
 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant, Hamden, Connecticut
 
 

Mr. Shaffer's commitment to Howard Johnson's and to his family's heritage proved ephemeral, for the Hamden Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge was closed forever on October 1, 2004. It's Gate Lodge was hastily demolished leaving no trace that the place had been a HoJo's -- even C. A White's Website was "cleaned up" so that there was no longer any reference to the company ever having owned and operated a Howard Johnson's. By 2006 the unrecognizable site had been converted into Choice Hotel's Clarion brand.

Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant, Hamden, Connecticut
 
 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant, Hamden, Connecticut
Photograph December 19, 2001
 
 
 
 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant, Hamden, Connecticut
Photograph courtesy of Walter Mann (www.hojoland.com)
 
 
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