Osage -- August 2, 1929

 

C. A. Peterson, proprietor of the East End grocery, is building Mitchell County's first tourist camp. Five cabins are to be constructed on the vacant lot back of his store, on East Main street, two of which are already built. One building containing a shower bath will also be erected. Each of the five cabins will contain a folding bed, table and two chairs; and will be ten by ten feet in size. Some time this fall the cabins will be plastered, and a stove placed in each one. The new camp is in an unusually good location, being on both highways No. 9 and 218.

 

NOTES: According to Jody Roll (Feb. 2011), the "cabins" were not really cabins, because they were all connected together in an "L" shape layout, which was behind Peterson's grocery store. They were located near the present day Hardee's restaurant -- actually they were in the same location as Cooper Motor's car dealership, on the north side of 218. The cabins were still functioning in the 1960's, and then known as "East End Motel." Additionally, the office appeared like it might have been a store at one time. And they had some inexpensive little apartments right where Hardee's is now located, which they rented out by the week and by the month, to construction workers and local bachelors. "But, all of that was gone by 1975," Jody says, "I remember it well." They were referred to as cabins, but the term "motel" probably was not even in use at the time. But, that is exactly what they were -- motel rooms.