Lost Oak Lawn
Lost Oak Lawn: Local Motel’s Family Welcomes Yours
Oak Lawn Patch visits the historic Gateway Motel.
Bob and Rita Olsen have met them all. From Chinese doctors training at Advocate Christ Medical Center, to South American tourists traveling through the heartland, the third generation owners of the Gateway Motel could entertain visitors with stories of former guests for hours. “Back during the 1950’s and 1960’s, we had a lot of comedians and musicians stay here after performing at the Martinique restaurant downtown,” Bob told Oak Lawn Patch. When Oscar Vallera, Olsen’s grandfather, arrived from Italy in the 1920’s, he could never have imagined meeting the likes of R&B singer Bo Diddley or actor Scott Brady. After settling in Oak Lawn with his brothers, Vallera saved up enough money and purchased a small plot of land along 95th Street, just…
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