Vintage Postcard – Penn Motel

Penn Motel
3067 Ninth Street North
St. Petersburg, Florida
Right in town – Open all year – Hotel rooms and Kitchenette Apartments – Shopping center and restaurants closeby – Winter and Summer rates on request.
Mr. & Mrs. John Somerville
Owner-Management

Geniume Curteich – Chicago “C.T. Photo-Finish” Post Card – (REG U.S. Pat. Off.)

This vintage postcard was mailed using a red 2 cent John Adams stamp, postmarked U.S. Treasury Defense Bond Flag City, Saint Petersburg on February 14, 1955. It was sent to Mr. & Mrs. A.L.Kane, Belgrade Maine

Hi Folks:
This is where we plan to be for another ten days or more.
We are having dreadful cold weather for St. Pete. Can’t set outdoors today. Flowers are still fresh and nice.
Hope it’s nice and mild at home by now. Both well and happy.
Love Grace & H

The Penn Motel Now

The address for the Penn Motel is listed as either 3067 9th St N or 3067 Martin Luther King Jr St. N. The motel was built in 1953 (from Trulia). The motel was sold in 2005 for $280,000 and in 1997 for $110,000. It is currently listed as a multi-unit residence.

The Penn Motel is listed here as a fire-safe hotel/motel. Below is a shot of the Google Street View:

There is no information on John Somerville, nor on A.L. Kane. Grace and H must have enjoyed their stay at the fairly new motel in 1955, planning on being there for another ten days or so. Although the motel was centrally located and close to shopping and restaurants, it is a good distance from the waters of Tampa Bay. The current landscaping of the Penn leaves a bit to be desired with the palm trees long gone and not much lawn to speak of. You’d hardly feel like pulling up a folding chair in the parking lot to peacefully watch the world go by.