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Postcard courtesy of Dan Donahue circa 1956
 
Syracuse-North, New York -- 2914 Brewerton Rd
 

Sometimes called the Northern Lights Shopping Center location, the Syracuse-North Motor Lodge opened in about 1957 and was the first in New York State. Its construction was based on a design by the architect Rufus Nims, and the original Motor Lodge complex was similar in appearance to the earlier single level location that was built near Ocala in 1956. Syracuse-North's original guest buildings featured early standardized rooms.

The Restaurant was apparently physically separated from the Motor Lodge and was likely either sited on an outparcel of the adjacent shopping center, or it was a storefront location in the center itself.
 
 
 
 
Postcard circa 1960s
Note that the Motor Lodge's Trapezoid sign was topped with an early non-illuminated version of "The Lamplighter," and was the same type that was displayed in front of Albany-Thruway for many years.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photographs May, 2002
 
 
 
 
Photographs 2005: Courtesy of Jack Thomas
To the left is a small guest building that was added to Syracuse-North during the 1960s. While the other guest buildings have been extensively remodeled, the newer wing still looked mostly original when Jack Thomas visited the site in 2005.
 
 
 
 
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