| Kissimmee |
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Kissimmee,
Florida -- 5300 Space Coast Pkwy
(5300 W Irlo Bronson Mem Hwy-- U.S. 192) |
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Jumping
on to the bandwagon, the Howard Johnson Company joined the likes
of Holiday Inn, Stuckey's, Days Inn and other hospitality concerns
in offering its famous name on campground signs. Part of a new division
in HJ's Accommodations Group, there were to be three kinds of campgrounds.
The first was proposed to serve overnight campers in a convenient
location for those "on-the-way." Next was the "destination"
site -- near a lake, ocean, historic, or resort area. Finally was
the combined destination and on-the-way campground offering the
best of all worlds.
Alas
the project was nearly still born, for the OPEC oil embargo sent
shock waves through the Nation's economy dampening the demand for
campgrounds and other economy lodging facilities. While three HJ
campgrounds were planned only the first two got off the ground,
and they were short lived.
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HJ
Campgrounds Division
Opened in August of 1973 by Licensees Mat Alfie and Bruce
Campbell, HoJo's Kissimmee campground was managed on-site
by the husband and wife team of Marilyn and Russ Pundy. Only
five miles from Walt Disney World, the facility was planned
to offer as many as 669 campsites once completed.
By
the 2000s the Campground had become Sherwood Forest RV Resort--a
part of Equity
Lifestyle Properties. While the campground was still an
important aspect of the facility, greater emphasis had been
placed on its larger section of manufactured homes for sale
and rent.
Left:
Note the original, but recycled Howard Johnson's Campground
highway sign.
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| USGS
satellite image: © Microsoft Corporation |
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| Howard
Johnson's Landmark: Sept-Oct 1973 pg. 3 |
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For
Children, This Campground is a Playground --
The Kids, and their parents, find picnic tables and a barbeque
at each site, paddle boats, sailboats, and pool in the hospitality
center, shuffle board, miniature golf and horse back trails amidst
acres of natural beauty at Kissimmee. |
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| Wildwood |
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| Postcard
circa 1975 (depicts location in Bowling Green, KY) |
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Wildwood,
Florida -- SR 44 @
I-75
3 Penny Inn |
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Only
four 3 Penny Inns were ever opened, and Wildwood was the second.
It was new construction based on plans created by the Company's
architectural department, and was operated directly by the
Howard Johnson Company. |
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| Lobby
card circa 1975: Courtesy of Dan Donahue |
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Centsible
Lodging
Created "to broaden the scope of Howard Johnson's lodging
facilities and meet the needs of budget minded travelers,"
Howard B. Johnson described the 3 Penny Inn concept as "very
attractive in terms of price, but there are immediate visible
differences in the facilities and furnishings compared to
a Howard Johnson's (Motor Lodge). The 3 Penny Inn provides
the basic essentials, but is not not usually accompanied
by a restaurant. Construction costs run a little more than
half the standard HJ."
A
clever and creative idea, 3 Penny Inn was hatched at a bad
time. Answering Holiday Inn's Jr. concept, the Company hoped
to create a successful entry into the "budget"
niche, but the OPEC oil embargo crashed the party.
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