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Lebanon motor lodge a slice of Americana

Mother, daughters runn old style motel

Submitted Photo A postcard depicts the Shaker Inn in Lebanon as it appeared in the 1940s when it was a motor lodge known as "Lebanon Tourist Courts."

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By Justin McClelland, Staff Writer 9:57 AM Thursday, November 5, 2009

As opposed to the classic Colonial architecture that is the backbone of downtown Lebanon, the Shaker Inn along U.S. 42 represents a piece of 1940s Americana, the classic quaint motor lodge, destinations for when long-distance travel — and the automobile itself — was still a novelty.

Today, the Shaker Inn, now owned by Virginia Byer and her daughters Melodye Byer and Renee Bellamy, is a mix of modern facilities and classic 1940s style. The lodge has just completed a complete renovation, adding high tech amenities like Wi-Fi and flat screen TVs, but keeping the charm of handwritten registrations, a quaint round reception area, and doors with keys instead of electronic swipe cars.

Virginia and her husband C. Basil purchased the Shaker Inn in 1977. Basil was an appraiser and mapper who saw the inn as a retirement business for the family.

“I thought my parents were crazy,” said Bellamy, who was in junior high school when they purchased the Shaker Inn. “The inn was really run down. We had to do a total renovation to get it running.”

The hotel was built as a motor court in the 1940s along U.S. 42. The U.S. routes were forerunners of the interstates, and U.S. 42 was one of the most popular, connecting a large swath of cities from Cleveland to Cincinnati. When cars were still considered a luxury, motor courts gave each visitor a room and a garage next door to keep their cars safe. The garages at the Shaker Inn have since been turned into rooms of their own, without any noticeable difference.

“My dad had quite a bit of land in town and thought Lebanon and Warren County would grow as a spot for tourists,” Melodye said. “My dad thought Lebanon would be a big place for festivals. He was very disappointed when the Honey Bee festival left.”

Basil’s prophecy proved to be accurate. The Byer’s said the hotel is booked at least six months in advance for all of Lebanon’s festivals, as well as the Historical Society’s semi-annual antique show.

Today, Virginia has converted a section of the hotel into her own living space and still manages the hotel. Basil died in 2005. Their daughters still assist in the running of the Inn as well.

“It still has a the old time ambiance with all the modern conveniences,” Melodye said. “It’s something our whole family is proud of.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4544 or jmcclelland@coxohio.com.

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We also live close the Shaker Inn (within sight of it)--our relatives stayed there this summer & loved it. What a nice piece of history, thanks for the article!

another neighbor
2:30 PM, 11/6/2009

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I live near the Shaker Inn and relatives of mine from several states have stayed at the Inn. They always check first for a reservation at the Shaker but often find it booked. It was a pleasant surprise to us when we first discovered the place as an addition to our own guest room. This was a very interesting story.

a neighbor
11:42 AM, 11/6/2009

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