El Rancho Casablanca
"El Rancho Casablanca, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada"
Name/Title
El Rancho CasablancaDescription
In the 1948, Mildred Dixon bought property on Ofield Road (now Casablanca Boulevard) and had a long white restaurant building erected. She named this restaurant El Rancho Casablanca, and in partnership with Ivy Stonehill, it gained a reputation as a fine dining establishment. Dixon retired from the restaurant business after a protracted legal battle with the Department of Highways over signage on her property - which she won. Around the same time she married former professional hockey player William Holmes of Crystal Beach. Cecil Day, who had owned several previous successful restaurants, bought El Rancho Casablanca in January 1950. He installed modern motel units and an outdoor pool to create a resort atmosphere. At the same time that Ofield Road became “Casablanca Boulevard”, Day shortened El Rancho Casablanca to the “Casablanca”. After he retired, the motel was bought by Sipco, who started catering to truckers. At this time, it was renamed The Fifth Wheel. The Fifth Wheel operated until 2015.Collection
PostcardsCategory
Postcards