Hotels, Motels Signs and Places You Might Stay

El Dorado Motel - Fort Worth, Texas

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There are several of these old motels not far from where I live. The remnants of these family owned motels are dotted along once busy state highways that were bypassed by the interstates in the 60’s. Many date back to the 30’s and 40’s and many have art deco features. Almost all had brightly lit neon signs which are rapidly giving way to LED signs now. They lured customers in with cool air conditioner rooms and an even phone and sometimes a TV in each room.

I have fond memories traveling with my parents as a child in our 47 Plymouth to visit my grand parents and traveling the 2 lane highways through the night and seeing these brightly lit neon signs.

This one is outside Clinton Tn on a state road to Knoxville. It’s now a rundown apartment house renting by the week for those that migrate through the area. The parking lot has been turned into a used car lot specializing in cheap high mileage older cars. What remains is a rundown registration building and rusted steel sign with broken neon tubing.
 

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This old Route 66 era neon motel sign stands along I-44 outside Marshfield, Missouri. I photographed it in 2007.


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The Dean Motel is located on I-40 on the east end of Amarillo, Texas. Only $26 a night! This is kind of a seedy industrial area with a lot of creepy looking motels and truck stops. I photographed it in 2011.
 
Several years ago I took a few in the early morning with my 5x7 and HP5+ but liked this with the iPhone more. Maybe color does more justice to the subject matter. Last year while driving through Tucumcari this time with my wife so no photography I decided to spend the night there. Not the most comfortable but probably true to what a tired motorist would expect from a road side motel those days.
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Last edited:
Rayt said:
Several years ago I took a few in the early morning with my 5x7 and HP5+ but liked this with the iPhone more. Maybe color does more justice to the subject matter. Last year while driving through Tucumcari this time with my wife so no photography I decided to spend the night there. Not the most comfortable but probably true to what a tired motorist would expect from a road side motel those days.
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I've stayed there many times and have thoroughly enjoyed it (through a couple of owners). The only motel I know of that has a single-car garage for each room!

Next time you stay there head on over to the Tucumcari Ranch Supply around the corner for some delicious BBQ. Say hi to Stella and Jimmy for me!
 
Vince Lupo said:
I've stayed there many times and have thoroughly enjoyed it (through a couple of owners). The only motel I know of that has a single-car garage for each room!

Next time you stay there head on over to the Tucumcari Ranch Supply around the corner for some delicious BBQ. Say hi to Stella and Jimmy for me!
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I really want to go, but only if I can arrive by train.

 
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