HomeMotels and HotelsTravel Inn (Hill's Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums)

Travel Inn (Hill's Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - Benton Harbor MI 

Address: 655 Riverview Dr
City: Benton Harbor
State: MI
Zip: 49022
County: Berrien
Number of visits to this page: 1007
Disclaimer:

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General Information:

Travel Inn in Sodus Twp goes back to the 1930's and featured a lunch counter and a gas station in addition to rooms for rent. It was started by Clinton B. Hill who was also the postmaster in 1935. The newspaper archives don't pick up the story again until the 1960's when a new, 90-unit motel was announced. Was this new development replacing the original Hill's Travel Inn? I don't know.

The developers went gonzo on this new version by erecting a gigantic sign. A cocktail lounge with a restaurant was built and a 20x50 ft swimming pool was also put in. The restaurant and lodge were called "The Captain's Table". The cost of all of this was listed as 200 grand, the equivalent of 2 million as of Dec 2023. There were 2 more 60-unit wings planned at that time. So, I would say this would have been the "heyday" of this place, which was the early 1960's.

Following along with the newspaper archives, the placed chugged along through the 1970's. The 1980's brought about a conversion to condominiums and a physician out of Coloma being the new owner. The city officials were of course touting this as a great thing, implying the motel idea wasn't working out anymore LOL. The Captain's Table stayed open during and after the condo conversion it seems. The last mention in the newspapers was from 2011, indicating that units were available for 25k and included a boat slip.

The 2019 street view shows an empty sign board and the place looked to be closed. The aerial map shows no business listed there and has the parking lot has that unused appearance. Sure enough, some 2020 street views indicate the place was all boarded up and the pool filled in. So ends the saga of the Travel Inn as it looks too far gone to save at this point. Not to mention the amount of money needed to do so would be enormous.

Info Updates:
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 Photos:16
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - 2019 Street View
2019 Street View
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - 2020 Street View
2020 Street View
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - 2020 Street View
2020 Street View
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - 2020 Street View
2020 Street View
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - Aerial Map
Aerial Map
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - Aug 11 1962 Groundbreaking
Aug 11 1962 Groundbreaking
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - Aug 2011 Ad
Aug 2011 Ad
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - Clinton B Hill Named Postmaster For Sodus 1935
Clinton B Hill Named Postmaster For Sodus 1935
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - Dec 1961 Ad
Dec 1961 Ad
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - Jul 1961 Opening Announcement
Jul 1961 Opening Announcement
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - Maybe The Original Version July 1930, 9 - The Herald-Palladium At Newspapers
Maybe The Original Version July 1930, 9 - The Herald-Palladium At Newspapers
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - Nov 1961 More Expansion
Nov 1961 More Expansion
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - Nov 1992 Ad
Nov 1992 Ad
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - Oct 1961 Ad
Oct 1961 Ad
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - Sept 1961 Thats A Serious Sign
Sept 1961 Thats A Serious Sign
Travel Inn (Hills Travel Inn, New Harbor Condominiums) - Sepy 1989 New Owner
Sepy 1989 New Owner
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