It’s 1950 and you’re on your vacation over the Independence Day holiday, top is down on your ’48 Chevy, mom’s got her bandana tight and the trip down Route 1 makes dad happy. It feels historic to him and she’s just happy to get away. The kids like the adventure.
As the miles fly by, it’s time to take a break. Parnell’s Restaurant wins out with the moniker “you are now entering the south.”
The menu which featured a robust choice of broiled steaks, southern fried chicken or seafood was also an invitation to lodge at their cabins adjacent to their restaurant. “Our cottages are located in a beautiful oak grove which makes them delightfully cool and inviting in the summer months. Our location within a mile of three modern swimming pools gives our guests an additional advantage,” was written on the cover of their menu.
As many cottage and motel properties thrived in the 1950s, most failed as the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike routed traffic away from Route 1. Parnell’s was eventually demolished in the 1970s.
It was located on the northwest corner of Osborne Road and Jefferson Davis Highway. Currently a Refresh convenience store, a Family Dollar and Advance Auto Parts is located where Parnell’s once sat beneath the oaks.
