A beach on the shores of the Salmon River at the old Frank Davis Resort in Moodus, now known as Sunrise Resort. Photo by Cloe Poisson/cpoisson@courant.com
Will the old Frank Davis Resort in Moodus — now known as the Sunrise Resort — finally find a new use?
My colleague Dave Altimari reports:
The state has received two proposals to develop the former Sunrise Resort property in Moodus into campgrounds and a recreational area.
One proposal, by a collection of mostly New London-based non-profit groups, is labeled “Camp Sunrise” and would turn the 144-acre property into a summer camp targeted at “disabled children ranging from autism to blindness to those that are wheel chair bound.”
The other proposal, from a group consisting of mostly East Haddam residents called the Sunrise State Park Redevelopment Project, calls for a three-phase development that would include a campground, nature center and a renewable energy demonstration center.
Read more here.
Did you ever visit the Frank Davis Resort or later, Sunrise Resort? What do you remember. My high school senior outing was held there!
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
12 Responses to New Use For Old Frank Davis Resort In Moodus?
- -- ADVERTISEMENT --
- -- ADVERTISEMENT --
Was this resort once known as Banner Lodge? There used to be a resort in Moodus with a 9 hole golf course.
I once attended a company party at the Frank Davis Resort many years ago. A fun time was had by all.
My high school, South Catholic in Hartford (now closed) held our senior class party at Frank Davis resort in 1984. It was a fun, memorable day.
Kevin,
I never heard of the name Banner Lodge, but Sunrise’s history goes back to the 1920s.
I worked there for a couple of summers, many years ago. Back then it was known as Ted Hilton’s, and that is how I remember it. Banner Lodge was a competitor located on the other side of town.
I went to Frank Davis Resort for Senior field trip in 1982. What a great time at a great facility. Shame it’s just sitting…
Went to frank davis during freshman yr in college; 1979. It was a great place at the time. Later when dirty dancing movie came out it reminded me someone what of that lodge. They really knew how to treat their guests like a cruise ship on land.
I had gone to the Frank Davis Resort back in 1973, with the C.Y.O. band that I marched in We had fun for the one week of the summer in which we didn’t have any contests to compete in. I also came back in 2007, when it was the Sunrise Resort. I had brought my girlfriend with me on a weeks vacation. She enjoyed it just as much as I did. It’s a shame that the state of Connecticut has allowed this “prime” piece of property to fall into complete disrepair. The cost to get it back up to par will be monumental.
WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT TED HILTONS..AND FRANK DAVIS RESORT..AND THE LAST NAME UNDER BOB JOHNSON WAS SUNRISE..I WENT WITH MY FAMILY EVERY SUMMER SINCE I WAS A BABY..I ALSO MADE MANY FRIENDS THEIR..BELIEVE IT OR NOT I WENT THERE FOR MY HONEYMOON..VEGAS FIRST..I ALSO HAD KIDS AND BROUGHT THEM TO SUNRISE RESORT. MY KIDS AND I STILL TALK ABOUT IT..WOULD EVER THE STATE DECIDES TO DO..IT WILL BE A SUCCESS.SUNRISE HAS A SPECIAL MAGIC AND NO ONE CAN TAKE IT AWAY…HELLO TO ALL AND BOB JOHNSON…VINNY
I remember going to to the resort while in school with my parents shop picnic we counldn’t wait for the week-end. Boats down by the lodges and horseback ridding up on top. I was just driving to the casino a few weeks ago and said I wanted to go by to see what the place looked like.
Iworked at the resort when it was Ted Hiltons and Frank Davis ran the kitchens, Frank and his wife Dot Purchased the resort and I worked for them for several years. It was a wonderful experience working in the kitchens and working with other from Moodus, Haddam, Middletown, Portland etc. I went to Connecticut recently to a funeral and brought my 16 year old daughter I wanted to show her where her dad went to school in Middletown and went to the resort and it was so sad to see it closed. I worked with Bob and Laura Johnson the last owners and two wonderful people and I almost cried to see how bad the place looked. We walked over the gate and around the top of the property. The memories will always be there. It was a fabulous place to work and meet wonderful guests. I wish that I could have brought my family there before it closed. What wonderful memories
The Johnsons were the best. I worked there for a few summers. Now I have an Autistic son and would love for developers to use the land for disabled children. Was a wonderful place, so many memories.