Goldies Motel – Charlotte, Michigan

Growing up, my grandparents lived in Lansing. We made regular visits up to see them. Along the way, there were certain landmarks we watched out for to mark the trip. Goldies was one of them. The lure of the old roadside motel has always called me.

The last time Mom and I went to Lansing, we saw that Goldies was up for sale. I wanted to make sure I photographed it before it disappeared into memory.

There’s a larger, main office building (sign on the door noted there were no vacant cabins) and two rows of little cabins. There’s a metal sign on each side of the complex.

It seemed that at least half of the cabins are disused and not vacant.

If you close your eyes, you can almost imagine what it must have been like when Goldies was first built. Who stayed there? Are there people still alive that close their eyes and live on the memory of the summers spent at Goldies? When they look back, does the power of that place tug at their heart as they remember long-ago loves lost?

We lamented that we could not get inside to look around.

These seats are like 20 feet from the highway.

Main lobby. You can see how close Goldies sits to the road.

Goldies is officially listed at 1651 Lansing Road in Charlotte, Michigan. The Record Southwestern Union, Conference of Seventh Day Adventists from August 8, 1951 lists Goldies Cabins, Route 1, Charlotte as an appropriate place to stay for the Laymen’s Conference.

1995 Charlotte Shopping Guide obituaries, Eaton County, Michigan, Copyright 2000 by Charlotte Public Library has an obituary for Lyle D. Thompson, 82, who died September 9, 1995 after an extended illness. He was born in Lansing and was a lifelong Charlotte resident. He was the former owner of Goldie’s Motel in Charlotte, retiring in 1979 (more here).

Goldies is very close to another landmark from our youth, the Sundown Motel.

What are the landmarks of your youth? Are there places, forever trapped in the summer of your mind, that call to you on occasion?