Vulcan Motor Lodge
The Vulcan Motor Lodge was a motel located at 1930 29th Avenue South (then part of U.S. Highway 31) at East Avenue (now Independence Drive) in Homewood.
The motel featured 67 air-conditioned rooms (singles, doubles and suites), each with its own telephone and tiled bath with combination tub/shower. The motel offered maid and porter service and a playground.
In 1951, the motel was called the "Waldorf Astoria of Tourist Courts" by Tourist Court Journal. In 1953, the motel was acquired by St Francis Hotel Courts. It was expanded in 1960 to a total of 112 rooms at a cost of $600,000. The renovation included a heated swimming pool, a new King's Inn Restaurant, meeting rooms, and a renovated entrance. Charles McCauley designed the addition, which was built by G. W. Hallmark and Sons.
The motel was later town down and eventually replaced with Independence Plaza.
References
- "Plush St. Francis addition to swing open doors Oct. 23" (October 1960) Birmingham News - via Birmingham Rewound
- Jakle, John A., Keith A. Sculle, and Jefferson S. Rogers (1996) The Motel in America. Boston: Johns Hopkins University Press