Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and restaurant Omaha, Nebraska
Photographs August 2006: Courtesy of Phil Edwards
 
Omaha, Nebraska -- 3650 S 72nd St
 

Exceptionally modern in design for its time, Omaha featured an indoor swimming pool and offered 213 rooms in its five-stories when it opened in the fall of 1969. Since no vintage views of the property have surfaced it is not known if the site ever had any sort of Gate Lodge. In its first run, the Motor Lodge was a Howard Johnson's until 1991.

Following its original HoJo's days, the site swapped brands almost every couple of years. Various listings indicated that it was a Ramada Inn, Clarion, Best Western, and the Omaha Executive Inn before becoming a Howard Johnson again in 2006. It has had so many brands/names in just a few years that you might feel a little like Linda Blair with her head spinning in The Exorcist--just keep the pea soup to yourself!

 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and restaurant Omaha, Nebraska
 
 

 
 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and restaurant Omaha, Nebraska
 
Remarkably Omaha's restaurant was a late Nims-type! Although it had been largely concealed, the careful observer can spot the cupola base in the photo below. Note that the bay window was added during the site's HoJo's days and indicated that the unit was a victim of the Howard Johnson Company's middle 1970s misguided decision to remove dairy bars and add additional dining space which they projected would increase average check totals.
 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and restaurant Omaha, Nebraska