What’s Left of The Old Snowflake Motel In St. Joseph
Winter is officially here, at least in terms of weather, and so I thought it was very coincidental that I just happened to stumble upon a serious piece of Southwest Michigan history, in the Snow Flake Motel of St. Joseph. Someone in the Michigan History page brought this postcard forward and showed what this, at the time, somewhat luxury motel had to offer:
This postcard depicts the Snowflake Motel in St. Joseph. The design was attributed to Frank Lloyd Wright although the design was completed by his son-in-law after FLW’s death. The motel was demolished in 2006 even though it was on the national register for historic places. There’s a really nice article on it which I’ve listed below.
In its prime, the motel features 57 air-conditioned & sound proof rooms with tv, along with direct dial phones and individual ice makers. There was a heated pool that was also opened year-round along with a mirror pool, with fountains and colored lights and a children's pool. The motel also came equipped with a cocktail lounge, coffee shop and a conference room.
The motel was designed by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation in the 60's, but sadly the motel was eventually closed and all that remains is a shadow of its former self:
What was once a clear definition in the ground of a former structure in the shape of a snowflake, in now nothing more than a ring of dirt. Even though this motel was once a stunning and unique roadside attraction, its now nothing more than a memory.
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