Long before the
Rose
Bowl Motel fell
victim to vandalism and criminal activity, Tournament of Roses parade fans
booked rooms here well in advance of the New Year's Day festivities.
Situated a
mile north of the Rose Bowl on a precipice just above Devil’s Gate dam, near
the northwest corner of Windsor and Woodbury Road, the motel was the place to
stay for thousands of Rose Bowl football fans.
The
mid-century motel adjoined the La Canada-Flintridge, Pasadena and Altadena
communities. Conveniently located less than a mile south of Jet Propulsion Lab,
it also served as temporary housing for numerous scientists visiting both JPL
and Caltech.
According
to text on the back of the post card, the motel featured "fully
carpeted units with tubs and showers, free TV, room phones and kitchenettes, a picture window sky lounge and coffee shop that looks out over the
magnificent San Gabriel Mountains".
 |
| Photo courtesy of Rod Holcomb |
Blighted
from years of neglect and gang activities, the building eventually fell into
disrepair. The photo above documents the motel in
July 2003, shortly before it was demolished.
I stayed at this motel in 1965 when I was 6 years old while our new house in LaCanada was being readied. It was the first motel I had ever stayed in. I'm sorry to se what it came to.
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