Geneva in Ashtabula County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The New Inn

Photographed by Mike Wintermantel

1. The New Inn Marker

Mid-Left caption
Guests and residents could get their mail services at The New Inn, later Swiss Chalet, Post Office window.

Mid-Right caption
The arrival of automobiles at GOTL coincided with the relocation of the main "Lake Road" away from the lake and through what was mostly farmland. When Mott and Swan built their New Inn on what would become "The Strip," they capitalized upon these opportunities with a venture that included gasoline, food, lodging and auto maintenance and repair services.

Lower Right caption
Councilwoman Swan:
Village voters in 1940 elected former New Inn owner Hazel Swan to the council.

Inscription. The New Inn was built by Newton Mott and Gary Swan at North Spencer and the new Lake Road at the site of a former fast-food sandwich shop. Perhaps inspired by the success of the stand, Mott and Swan purchased the shop and expanded it into a hotel, restaurant and gasoline station, 1914-1920.

The hotel had 21 guest rooms, and the owner's wife, Hazel Swan, began offering chicken dinners to guests and the general public. Hundreds of people, both hotel guests and non-guests, turned out for these 'milk-fed' chicken dinners.

In 1915 The Inn added a post office window to the east side of the structure. Mrs. Swan traveled to Geneva's train depot every morning to meet the mail train by 6 a.m., take the mail back to the resort and "put it up” for residents and vacationers, who could rent a box.

Eusebio and Martha Pera purchased The New Inn in 1921. They expanded the hotel's amenities and transformed the restaurant into The Swiss Chalet, which still stands.

Erected by In Memory of Martha Pera and Donald G. Woodward.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1915.

Location. 41° 51.622′ N,

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80° 57.148′ W. Marker is in Geneva, Ohio, in Ashtabula County. It can be reached from Lake Road East (Ohio Route 531) 0.1 miles west of Golf Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5485 Lake Rd E, Geneva OH 44041, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Ohio’s Lake Erie Shore

and in the Western Reserve.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Fascination (a few steps from this marker); Olympic Midway (a few steps from this marker); Pera's Kiddieland (within shouting distance of this marker); Pier Ballroom (within shouting distance of this marker); Allison's Mini Golf 100th Anniversary 1924-2024 (within shouting distance of this marker); Miniature Golf (within shouting

Photographed by Mike Wintermantel

2. The New Inn Marker

distance of this marker); Pergola Gardens (within shouting distance of this marker); Joe's Fun House (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Geneva.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 26, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 21, 2021, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 276 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 21, 2021, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.