The Old Ascot Motel

The Old Ascot Motel in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

After the turn of the 20th century, after the horseless carriage and the "driving machine" was developed and began to permiate our roadways, there were several types of establishments that was built along the way that would play host to the motorist. One, ofcorse, was the filling station. How else could one keep going when one was running low on fuel? Another was the country store which travelers could stop at for food, drink, cigarettes and bug spray. (Most autos of the period were open cars, bugs were a problem). Another form of business was the roadside motel. These little out-of-the-way places were popular because no longer did a roving family need to sleep in their car, and cook on the ground. Even the word, "motel", was taken from "hotel" and addapted to the word "motor". Meaning somewhere to stop while driving. Many of the early motels were called motor lodges.
All over this great country of our's sprang up all these rows of little rooms that offered the weary traveler a soft bed, warm room and a good night's sleep, all for under $3.00 a night. Most motels of the times were simple, clean and plain structures. Some, however, had their own idenity. In the west, some were shaped like indian teepees. Others were constructed in the style of birds, log cabins, etc.
In the late 1920s State Road in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio was gravel. It was a main highway that linked Akron to Cleveland with several smaller communities in between. So there is no reason to think that this area was not going to get a motel of it's own. Actually, there were several motels along this route. But there was one that everyone remembered...The Ascot Motel. The Ascot began as a standard motel. There were around two dozen cottages and an office. Each cottage had a carport for a vehicle. Each cottage was one room and there was a community restroom that was used by all. Prices started at .50 cents a night. Bring your own food because there was no resturant on the property.
In the early 1930s when the motel was a popular stop-off point, the Ascot grew to take care of it's visitors. A game room was added that was complete with pool tables and pinball machines. It was during this period of time that a lunch room was added onto the check-in office. The price of a room went up during this time to $1.50 a night. The Ascot was the place to be in those days. Right after World War II, to generate more revenue from the members of the public that lived nearby and didn't need to rent cottages, a dog racing track was installed at the Ascot. It was at this time that roller skating became very popular as a way to have some recreation without spending a lot of money. The Ascot added a large roller rink building. During the early to mid 1950s, the Ascot was one of the finest motel and recreation areas in Ohio. The cottages were filled almost every night, the roller rink was the hub of teenage activity and the dog racing track was the place to bet your money on the weekends. The motel prices during the '50s was $5.00 a night. The lunch room and consession stands were busy selling hot dogs, hamburgers, fries and soft drinks. Hot dogs were .20, hamburgers were .25, fries were .15 and a pop, even Coke, was .15. So you could eat a meal for under $1.00. (Talk about a place to go for a cheap date).
By the early 1960s, the Ascot's business had dropped off somewhat. The roller rink and dog track were still generating a good profit, but people now were spending their nights in newer, more up-to-date motels. The cottages at the Ascot had not been remodeled for decades. By 1965, the roller rink and dog track were done. The motel wasn't doing well eather. Cottages were rented only about two or three nights a week. The Ascot was sold several times and one of the owners changed the Ascot into a "no tell motel". Again cottages were rented just about every night or two. But seldom for the entire night. Mostly just for an hour or two at a time.
The 1970s weren't any better. There was even a murder commited there during that decade. Legend has it that a husband found out that his wife was at the Ascot sharing a cottage with a co-worker. He drove to the motel, found her car and burst into the room and shot her lover dead. I don't know if the story is true but when I was there in 2003, the chalk outline was still on the floor of one of the cottages. I understand that this was the cottage of the killing.
By the early 1980s, the Ascot was shut down. The dog track had not been used for over 20-years and the roller rink was falling apart. The Ascot sat baron for the next 20-odd years and simply decayed. Local teens who had nothing better to do with their time tried to set fire to the cottages on more than one occation. The strange thing was, even as old as the Ascot was and as dried out as the wood was the fires burned themselves out. The fire department had to put out only one fire there.
All through the 1990s the Ascot Motel sat vacant. In 2005 the township of Cuyahoga Falls sold the property to a developer. The Ascot was raised with no fanfair or fairwell. The vacant land sat for another year untill a senoir center was built on it. Now the Ascot is history. Driving by the area today gives absolutely no clue that such an historical structure once stood there. Was the Ascot historical? Perhaps it was. It served a purpose when that purpose needed to be served. It fit into America's way of life. It was talked about, whispered about, laughed about and forgotten all in under 80-years. But man, what a life it had.

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The Historic Ascot ~

Main building ~

The Old Ascot Motel in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

Distant shot ~

Dayroom ~

Carports ~

Carport ~

Carport ~

Murder cabin ~

Chalk outline ~

Burned cottage ~

Dayroom interior ~

Lunchroom sign ~

Roller rink rubble ~

Missing Roof ~

Missing cabin ~

Burned ~

Burned too ~

Burned more ~

Sign ~

Another sign ~

Cottages ~

Cottages are gone ~

Vacant land ~

Original Photo at the Ascot

Ads for the original Ascot Drive-In Theater ~

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