Photos 2005: Tom Elmore

Located in the Columbia area between West Columbia and Cayce, a stand-alone Howard Johnson's Restaurant was opened along U.S. 321, 21, 176 at State Street in about 1953. The Motor Lodge was built opposite the Restaurant about ten years later.

Above: Site across the street from the Motor Lodge where the restaurant had been placed. Tom Elmore who visited the Restaurant many times said that it was demolished in the late 1980s.

Below: View from the Restaurant's site of the Motor Lodge

Lower: Remnant of the covered walkway. Mr. Elmore recalled that a covered walkway was built that partially sheltered guests as they made their way between the Motor Lodge an Restaurant.

Photo July 9. 2006: Kummerlowe Archive

Photog 2005: Tom Elmore

Photos July 9, 2006: Kummerlowe Archive

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Above & Below: Columbia-West offered at least two guest rooms that were unusual (perhaps some sort of suite)! Located on the second floor of the rear building, the rooms featured a typical beamed cathedral ceiling, but were extra-large with three double beds. The room below was especially peculiar with a vanity facing the beds.

Above, Below & Lower: Standard Howard Johnson's guest rooms were found in the rest of the property. Remarkably, many of them still contained elements of HoJo's past! Note the circa 1960s continuous counter, padded headboard units, and 1980s era grass cloth wallpaper.