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Rack card circa1970s: Courtesy of Dan Donahue
 
Amarillo-East, Texas -- 3205 E Interstate 40
 

Strategically located along Interstate 40 at the eastern approach to Amarillo, the East complex was set to open in the spring of 1969. A vintage advertisement touted the facility:
 
"Amarillo (East)- Capturing the flavor of the Playground of the Texas Panhandle, Howard Johnson's offers Texas-style hospitality in Texas-sized accommodations. Quiet, air-conditioned comfort is yours in 96 oversized rooms with color TV, the exclusive "Pamper Panel," and amenities such as a beautifully landscaped swimming pool and convenient guest laundry facilities."
 
 
 
 
Photographs 2004 & 2005: Courtesy of Phil Edwards
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Converted in the early 1990s into a Travelodge, Amarillo-East's Gate Lodge was spared from many of the modifications that befall the a-frame structures at locations that remained Howard Johnson's during the time period. Although it lost its Orange roof, the Gate Lodge retained its signature shape and many of its interior features.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
USGS satellite image accessed April 9, 2006: www.mapblast.com © Microsoft Corp.
 
 
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