MissPres is on vacation this week, but we’re sending postcards back from Mississippi’s past.
LAKEVIEW MOTEL. 7 Miles East on Highway 80, Jackson, Miss. Phone 2-0139. Air-Conditioned and T.V. Free Fishing for Guests.
Vacation Postcards: Lakeview Motel, Brandon
Preservation in Mississippi 
Thanks for these neat postcards!!! Lived in Brandon for 25 years and have no clue where this was. Does anyone know what is on this spot today? I don’t. Love that phone number.
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On old Highway 80 about one mile east on right from cemetary–last time I was by there, there was a fruit stand in front. I grew up in Pearl and my 1st job was in restaurant at Lakeview. My school friend, Johnny Madden’s father, Atley, owned it then-1960-61.
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Johnnie: Thanks zoning us in. Excuse my ignorance but I would love to rephotograph the scene. Can you tell us what cemetery your are referring to and possibly the nearest cross street or a real close current land mark. What lake is that please? Legion?
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Paul, it is between exit to airport and next exit to Brandon from I-20. The cemetary is on right on Old 80 and motel further toward Brandon about 1 mile. I’m old and don’t go home to Pearl much-so I’ve not seen spot in seveal years.
My Father was 3rd person buried at Floral Hills Memory Gardens(John Raymond McHan)–now it is quit large and I have alot of family there. I would appreciate if you would let me know what is left of Lakeview–it was beautiful spot when I was a child. Have wonderful memories of Pearl-Brandon from 65 years ago. Still have sister and brother living there, older than me. Sorry, got “windy”~~~
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Johnnie- I’m hoping I’ll be able to visit and photograph the site today or tomorrow. One of our Rankin County Historic Society members provided a very exact location of where the motel was. I’ll certainly be happy to share all I observe with you. Will post photo as soon as I can figure how to do so on this site. Legion lake is no longer in existence I believe. It is now a part a Pearl jogging trail. I’ll try and get photos of it also. I too remember the old Legion Lake area/clubhouse. I recall the lake had a nice sand beach and the Nicknar golf course was close by. It is now the Pearl Municipal Golf Course which expanded from nine holes to eighteen about 10-15 years ago. I play it often. Never worry about being “windy”. We love it.
Oh, Legion Lake is not the lake close to the motel is it?
Paul
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No, I don’t recall a name for the lake by motel. It just small lake on private land. Other side of lake was homes. Thanks for the info about Legion Lake. Sorry its gone.
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Paul, I forgot to mention Legion Lake was where Father and Mother took me swimming–I wondered if it was still there? The lake by Lakeview is right on Hwy 80, you can see easily from road.
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Johnnie, I lived about 1/2 mile East of Lake View while growing up in the late 50’s and until 1965. Mr and Mrs Madden had three kids; Linda, Larry and Gary. The Maddens purchased the Gulf Palms Motel in Pass Christian, Ms. in the early 1960’s and moved to the coast but kept Lake View. At some point in time Lake View was converted into a Rest Home but I don’t remember the particulars about that. What I do remember is all the great times we kids had growing up and spending time with our friends, Larry, Linda and Gary at Lake View. The lake came to a point neat Hwy 80 and had a small dam across the front which left a small pond that we swam and played in. The larger body of water was triangular shaped with a long dam running East and West along the back side.
One of the regulars that hung out with us at Lake View was Paul Robbins. Once, he brought his sister’s ski boat to the lake (how he managed to get away with that, I’ll never know) so, of course, we kids loaded into the boat and began a day that will be remembered as long as I live. Larry had never driven a ski boat and I hade never skied, which was obvious once I got up. As I stated earlier, the lake was triangular shaped which was great for a skier on the back, near the long dam, but wasn’t good at all for a person trying to ski for the first time and having a person driving the boat that had never pulled a skier. When Larry got to the front of the lake with the throttle wide open, I was doing pretty good until he realized he had to turn very, very sharp. And turn he did! The boat skipped across the water and actually made the turn without doing a high-speed dock. The same can’t be said about me. When that boat made that turn, I was slung across the wake and my speed was so fast that I’m pretty sure I would have passed the boat If I hadn’t hit the bank! I LIVED!
That was only one of many adventures we lived through while growing up and playing with our friends at Lake View Motel.
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GREAT STORY!
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Winston, I guess my memory is faulty. If the children were, Linda, Larry and Garry, who was Johnny Madden who probably graduated a year ahead of me (I was 1961). I lost all my yearbooks in Katrina so have no way to look people up. I knew a Mr. Atley Madden and thought his son’s name was John, his mother was deceased I think, not around I remember and I sure thought he owned Lakeview. If you can help my memories, please do. The name Paul Robbins sounds familiar. I went to church at Pearl Methodist and knew a Mrs. Helen Robbins who lived on Old Brandon Road across from Mildred Holder family who also went to our church and daughter Linda Gayle and I were friends and sang in choir together. Any help would be appreciated.
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Winston asked me to respond to you This is Linda Madden Hawk. Johnny Madden was a cousin of mine. His Dad had a motel called Madden Courts on Hwy 80 closer to downtown Pearl. My Dad was W.L.Madden, he built Lakeview in the early 50’s. My brothers and I were raised there. Paul Robbins and family lived right past Airport road on Hwy 80. Paul, Winston.
Giesmo, and Buddy Irby were fixtures at Lakeview Motel. Hope this helps you Thank all of you for your memories of Lakeview Garry and I have enjoyed reliving those wonderful days.
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Linda thank you so much for clarifying my memories which are not the best… My older sister is Betty Thornhill. I cannot place you in my memory but I do remember Gismo..and his mother and father. I do remember the Madden Courts now. I worked one summer in the restaurant at Lakeview on early shift. Liked it but realized I wanted another career…LOL, so I became an accountant, Again thank you very much-enjoyed this and I wish I still had yearbooks to look back thru.
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Johnnie, Larry, Linda and Garry were good friends, and I like Winston spent a lot of good times at Lakeview. Larry had Shetland ponies on land behind the lake and going towards what is now Interstate 20. We spent many hours playing in the area behind the lake, riding Shetland ponies and just having a good time in general. Lots of time swimming, or fishing in the lake. The Madden’s built a house to the east of the lake and motel with a small pond in front. The house is still there, but there isn’t much left of the original motel. I’ll have to take pictures and send you when we are in MS next time. Got your email address since you are on my PHS list. Leonard
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Leonard, how old are you? Did you see my reply to Winston? I am thoroughly confused. LOL. Any light you or Becky could throw on this would be very helpful, since I know she grew up on Hwy 80 back toward Pearl. I think I know this—-LOL Johnnie Rae
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Johnnie, I am 65, almost 66. Graduated in 1965 and was in Larry and Linda’s class. There was a Johnny Madden that was a cousin of Larry, Linda and Garry (1967). Sent you an email with all the info I have on the Robbins. When I moved to Pearl, the Robbins lived on the right side of Hwy 80 going toward Brandon, just before you get to what is now Miskelly’s Furniture. We rode the same school bus.
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Thanks Leonard, Glad to know everthing I remember is not wrong.
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Can anyone tell me the year Lakeview was built and the year it shut down as a hotel? Thanks.
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We seem to have different stories about this one. I am inclined to go with Linda Hawk’s, but this story was relayed to me by an aunt (now deceased) that lived across from the Lake View Motel. The owner of the lake and the motel was a wealthy man named Kenneth Muse. He lived on the east side of the lake in a large, beautiful home by the standards of the time in 1950-51. It still sits behind the modern building currently on the east side of the lake. With Google you can see the house clearly from above and on the ground view see a small portion of the house. The building that housed the restaurant seen on the postcard is still there, but the rooms that can be seen in the background are long since gone. The lake is not small. It is over 1000 feet from the dam to the front. The house and the motel rooms were turned into a rest home many years later.
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