The Dreamland Motel

The Dreamland Motel.

I am planning on making a trip back "home" later this fall and was so excited to get a chance to stay in the Dreamland Motel again.  When I called last week to see if they had any rooms available and to inquire about the price, I was told that they were selling the motel and weren't taking reservations.  My heart sank!  It's been years since I had stayed there and was so looking forward to it.

I found the pictures below from a website on the Internet.  When we were kids, every summer for as long as I can remember, we would vacation in Columbia, Kentucky and stay at the Dreamland Motel.  It was a little 20-unit mom and pop motel.  It was just a simple little motel - a bed, dresser/desk, nightstand, and bathroom, nothing fancy, no swimming pool.  Just a nice, clean place to lay your head down at night.  

My dad's family was from here so we would always visit with his brothers and sisters and all of our cousins.  We would always stay at the Dreamland Motel.  I only remember once not staying here - we stayed at the new Best Western cause they had a swimming pool.  Even after my dad died, I made one trip back to Columbia and stayed at the Dreamland Motel. 

I have lots of fond memories of staying here.  I remember checking in and always having to run outside and get the license plate number for dad when he would fill out the little registration card.  I remember always running to the little room with the ice and vending machines - putting our money in to get the little glass bottle of coke.  I remember one day playing around with the payphone and sticking my fingers in to see if there was any money.  Gasp!  To my surprise, I pulled out a handful of change!  I remember the room in the corner, I believe it was #9, it was the only two-room room they had and it had 3 beds in it!  I remember the time we came over for a funeral and mom realized she left her suitcase at home on the bed.  She was so upset and I remember her going out and sitting out in the chairs out front.  I remember rolling down the hill out front and laying on blankets underneath the shade tree.  I remember sitting outside on the concrete patio table while dad smoked and we visited with family.  I remember walking up the hill from the entrance of the motel to the gas station on the corner to get snacks that they vending machine didn't have.  I remember those tiny bathrooms with no tubs, and mom using lids of some sort to plug the drain so we could take a bath instead of a shower.

I'm looking forward to my trip back home later this fall.  I plan on driving around and revisiting all of the old places that we used to as kids and taking lots of pictures.  I'll definitely be calling again closer to time to see if the new owners are taking reservations!