Dutch Mill Inn, Trenton, Ontario
It's time for more slide scans from my "Road Trip USA" folder. Only today's photos are from Canada, our friendly neighbors to the north. Some of you may remember the lady with the hat, we've seen her at Universal Studios, and also at a mystery location. Today she and her pale, pale husband are standing in front of the Dutch Mill Inn Motor Hotel. In Trenton, Ontario. Do drop in! At least you can get booze there, am I right?
There's that awesome Dodge Dart again, please give it to me. When I posted the photo of the mystery location, our pal Nanook guessed that it was likely in the Niagara Falls area.
Based on this map, I'd' say that Nanook wins a big stinky cigar. That's Trenton at the top of Lake Ontario, and Niagara Falls is the pin to the left. I'm so proud of Nanook I could plotz!
Who loves vintage postcards? I do, I do!
We love you, Dutch Mill Inn Motor Hotel.
24 comments:
Major-
Aw, shucks Major... I'm blushing. I believe our pale friends are standing beside a 1965 Dodge Dart. In the 4th image, that appears to be a 1960 Pontiac convertible - either a Bonneville or Ventura. Behind it is a 1958 Oldsmobile - convertible, too. That's a red letter day here at GDB-!
Thanks, Major. (I'll claim that stogie, now).
I see that Pale Husband shares his wife's hobby of wearing quirky hats.
Dang, we can't quite read all the entertainment sign out front: Country and Western Music Recording Star David [something that ends in "B"] [something that starts with "B"]. Doesn't ring a bell with me.
They've got a Canadian flag on their antenna. So, is this couple Canadian? Or just visiting.
In the first postcard, there is another country music act on the sign: "Texas Smith and Country Kato S". "Country Kato S" doesn't make much sense, but oh well. The postcard looks to have been taken about the same year as today's photos.
Thanks for another road trip, Major. Maybe we can all chip in and get Pale Husband some bronzing cream.
That hotel sign is the most, daddy-O! It evokes both a tomahawk and an exclamation point.
Also digging Mr. Palehusband's contrapoosto.
Contrapposto, dangnabbit. My kingdom for an edit button!
That lady's hat sure got around and saw all of the sights. We saw it previously at Universal Studios, and Niagara Falls. NIAGARA FALLS! Sloooowly I turn, step by step.......
How nice! The Dutch Mill Inn was conveniently located across the street from a Dairy Queen! I'll take a Blizzard, please.
Hey, let's go across the street and get some hamburgs at Dairy Queen!
At first I my thoughts about these photos were "oh dear....there's a lot here"....then I saw the map of Canada....ahhhh! OK. Nothing really going on here. This is not a dig to Canada, as I love Canada, especially the Vancouvers of the world...I suppose I should have read the title of the post, which would have steered me in the right direction. Based on inside knowledge...Dairy Queens tend to last quite a long time, and you'll still see vintage ones everywhere, and this Dairy Queen is still around on Hwy 2 (Dundas St.) albeit remodeled. I speculate, but I think this is the place. The Dutch Mill inn...is an old motel. And these 50's views are when it looks like it went through it's entry into the "modern world" (looks like the Stovalls had some influence)...the old building is still visible there behind all the newness of the 50's. Across the street was the Trenton Park Motel (I speculate) which is still there. It all kind of makes sense...and the Dutch Mill Inn now is a parking lot for Canadian Tire, or another big box Canadian retailer. I'm not sure they paved paradise to put up a parking lot. Looks like they just put up a parking lot. I would have kept the sign though: that is brilliant. So many "Dutch" things back in the day, which I think is kind of not something we can talk about these days. "Dutch Treat" "Going Dutch" etc. I get all my bulbs from Dutch Vendors shipped from the across the pond, and they are the best. The Netherlands have a long and storied history...so much so, as I went down the rabbit hole I forgot about Pale Boy and Hat girl. Interesting couple indeed. Glad the Inn has all those licenses! Always great to see on monument signs that the establishment is on the up and up. Super happy they have BOOZE...listed first of course. Get your booze on, then go across the street for burgers and a cone. No need to suffer through a hangover. Looks like Hat Girl continues to love that hat in her multiple appearances on GDB...and Pale Boy loves Bates Motel Wanna Be's: Clearly! Sometimes on the road I am tempted to stay at these types of places, only to play out the scene of rayon quilted bedspreads, exfoliation bedding AND exfoliation tiny towels, tiny bars of soap, a "sanitized for your protection" on the toilet seat, and a spider looming from the ceiling. However, "PLENTY OF FREE PARKING"...can temporarily sway me for a NY minute. Thanks for "goin' Dutch" Major!
Bu, ♫♪ Blame Canada, blame Canada! With all their hockey hullabaloo.....♪♫
Cheers to the Happy Couple! Hope they head to Florida or someplace sunny.
I’m enjoying the RESTAURANT sign telling us it is open Daily 7AM to 9PM because it is open Daily 7AM to 9PM.
The guitar pick sign, breeze block and the Van De Kamp’s typeface all combine into a nice melange.
Terrific sleuthing all! Thank you!
JG
Odd that the pictures are from the parking lot and not at the pool advertised on the sign in postcard.
In the second image, does anyone know what that yellow, back snd white ‘shield’ sign—below the word RESTAURANT says? I recognize it from the past, but can’t read it.
In the last postcard, it looks like we can see the lake on the left edge of the building, in back. Being by the water is always nicer.
Thanks, Major, for the fun road trip!
—Sue
^ Oops, stupid cell phone
Sue, I can't read that shield sign either, but it looks like it has a picture of Queen Elizabeth II on it... or maybe it's Olive Oyl... or possibly Shakespeare. They all tend to look alike.
A Great White has been sighted on land in Canada! KS
Sue- I couldn't find anything that matched in online, but I'm pretty sure that sign is for Western Union (money orders, etc.).
Major- Cool pictures, postcards & cars today, thanks.
-DW
Nanook, I love that Dodge Dart, it has that great “vintage” feel, but also is sneaking into a morn modern aesthetic. Plus it’s cute! I’m out of real cigars, hopefully a bubblegum cigar will do!
JB, quirky hats are the best, in fact I wear things as hats that might be considered garbage by mere mortals. A Doritos bag? C’est magnifique! The recording star is David Bbbbb. I have all of his early albums. I think this couple lived in the New York City area, but it’s hard to say for sure - there are some other photos in the lot that show the city, not really tourist shots. I wondered about “Country Kato S”, maybe if I looked up that name it would make sense? Come on, Google!
Melissa, it really is a great sign.
Melissa, I liked your original spelling!
TokyoMagic!, that hat is pretty wonderful, and not the kind of thing I expect to see on ladies from that era. Did that “Niagara Falls” routine originate with the 3 Stooges? That’s what I always think of. Ah, Dairy Queen, I always think of Austin Minnesota, where we would get our dipped cones nearly every day.
Melissa, as a kid I thought that the hamburgers at Dairy Queen were only slightly below the ones at the A&W, but both were delicious!
Bu, as far as I am concerned, these photos have all that I need! Classic hotel signage, a vintage couple in bathing suits, a Dairy Queen, a classic car… awesome. I sort of love that the hotel had been updated to some degree, with things like the breeze blocks and the wild sign. “We can’t keep living in the past, Gary!”. “People like the hotel just the way it is, Marsha!”. These days that sign might have been saved for a museum, but back then it was just a relic that had outworn its welcome. Get the bulldozer. I do romanticize travel in those days, especially when so many people spent their summers trying to “see America”. Of course we can still do that today, but the trouble is, I want to see it as it was in 1965.
TokyoMagic!, they just want to fart and curse!
JG, well we know that at the very least they went to California to see Disneyland and Universal Studios. I guess they skipped Knott’s, or else I just didn’t get those slides. “Guitar pick sign”, perfect!
Dean Finder, good point, although I guess they wanted that sign? And their sweet new car!
Sue, I can’t quite make out what that sign says, and the high-res scan is gone. It does sort of look like there’s a portrait, but… who knows!
Sue, no worries.
JB, oh interesting Queen Elizabeth seems like a good guess. Sort of weird that they’d put her likeness on a sign like that. And you’re right, the Queen was probably related to Ms. Oyl.
KS, ha ha!
DW, ah, interesting, that would sort of make sense. I’ll have to see if I can find a vintage Western Union sign (something I assume you already did).
I see where Bu was going …. While there were many negative uses with the word “DUTCH” …. Frugality , trouble … etc … it also had positive connotations … at some point after Colonial times a DUTCH INN meant a INN that offered both separate dinning and lodging ….. and that evolved to be associated with hospitality …. And I’m not sure if any of that directly originated with the Dutch people or did it mean separate ?? “Dutch door”?? Dutch treat”?? “Dutch Inn” (separate restaurant & lodging )?? Or is Dutch ( Holland) even the correct origin … and is it “Deutsch” search- GERMAN …. As in Pennsylvania Dutch …. Which is really Pennsylvanian DEUTSCH German NOT Dutch …. Interesting thought.
wording that has a evolution … CHINESE … as in CHINESE LAUNDRY …. While temporary Chinese railroad workers who refused to return back to China after the completion of the transcontinental railroad ( central pacific segment …. Irish and Scottish built the Union Pacific segment) stayed and many opened Chinese Laundry’s ….but anyone could open a Chinese laundry … even Dutch people …. Because it meant HOT WATER was used … today people want to jump the gun and assume everything is racist .. but sat in 1910 an American city had a Laundry shop . A CHINESE LAUNDRY meant the establishments used hot water for clothes cleaning …. A process brought to the west by former Chinese rr workers .
One of the first WALT DISNEY WORLD VILLAGE “Disney crown “ hotels included a Dutch Inn ( chain) tower in the early 70’s … after it was renamed The Grovsner it still had sone Dutch windmills on a few tiles in the bathroom and showers in to the early 2000’s. And it was a TRUE Dutch Inn since it featured lodging and restaurant facilities.
Walt Disney World featured FOUR “Chinese Laundries”…. One on Main Street USA - East Center Street (obsolete) and one in Frontierland - between Town Hall and Pecos Bill Cafe , Fantasyland - Mr. toad’s Wild Ride - London Towne (obsolete) and Epcot Center’s World of Motion - The First 20th Century Traffic Accident scene ( obsolete)
So Queen Elizabeth II, Olive Oyl, and Shakespeare walk into a bar...
Melissa, HA! That's what I was thinking, too!
Sue- Thanks for finding that American Express sign! I was pretty sure it was Western Union because of the black & yellow- I stand corrected...;)
-DW
So Queen Elizabeth II, Olive Oyl, and Shakespeare walk into an American Express office...
Sue, great sleuthing! I don't know what led you in that direction.
Melissa, ... And Queenie bought the entire corporation of American Express because she has all of Shakespeare's original folios in her treasury so she's richer than God. And Olive Oyl, poor thing, doesn't have a dime to her name.
At first I thought that sign looked like the one for Ziebart, but when I looked it up, I was obviously wrong. Plus, Ziebart has NOTHING to do with restaurants. I knew that sign was something from my childhood memories, and obviously had to tie-in with a restaurant, so then I remembered it was for American Express. Google confirmed that.
Fun day...and I'm looking forward to Sunday Snoozles - my favorites!
Did that “Niagara Falls” routine originate with the 3 Stooges?
Major, apparently the sketch goes back to vaudeville days. I looked it up and the earliest use of it on film appears to be Abbott and Costello performing a version of it in Lost In A Harem, which was released in August of 1944. And the Three Stooges did a version of it one month later, in their short, Gents Without Cents.
And of course, a version of it was also performed in a season 1 episode of everyone's favorite TV show, I.L.L.
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