Caboose Motel
Durango, CO
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Caboose Motel in Durango, CO features a memorable roadside sign topped with a caboose figure. It's the kind of themed marquee that immediately tells travelers something about the property before they even pull into the parking lot.

Given Durango's rich railroad heritage and the popularity of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, the caboose-themed sign feels right at home. It is a great example of the creative roadside advertising that once helped independent motels stand apart from the competition.

UPDATE: The Caboose Motel remains in operation and continues to welcome travelers visiting Durango. Fortunately, the motel's distinctive caboose-topped sign survives as well, making it one of the city's more recognizable roadside landmarks. 06-26

Treasure Trail Motel (Demolished)
Kanab, UT
Photo courtesy Lee Salawitch

How about this eye-catcher of a sign found off the roadside in Kanab, UT. The Treasure Trail Motel features a marquee that sometimes brings about a double-take from weary motorists traveling through town. 05-09

Opened in the early 1950s, the motel served travelers exploring southern Utah's scenic landscapes and nearby national parks. During Kanab's heyday as "Little Hollywood," properties like the Treasure Trail also welcomed cast and crew members working on the many western films and television productions shot throughout the region. 05-09

UPDATE: The Treasure Trail Motel is gone and the location is now a Comfort Suites. Both the motel and its distinctive roadside marquee have been removed, leaving photographs like this as a reminder of one of Kanab's classic roadside lodging properties. 06-26

Parry Lodge
Kanab, UT
Photo courtesy Lee Salawitch

Here's a throwback of a motel marquee located in the town of Kanab, UT. The Parry Lodge features a combination of script lettering and distinctive sign shapes that make it far more memorable than the cookie-cutter signs found at many modern lodging properties.

Established in the late 1920s, the Parry Lodge became one of Kanab's most famous gathering places during the town's "Little Hollywood" years. Countless actors, directors, and film crews stayed here while working on the western movies and television shows filmed throughout southern Utah. The lodge's guest register reads like a who's who of Hollywood's golden age. 05-09

UPDATE: The Parry Lodge remains open and continues to celebrate its rich history. The historic property, its Hollywood legacy, and its distinctive roadside marquee all remain intact, making it one of the best-preserved and most recognizable lodging landmarks in Kanab. 06-26

Quail Park Lodge
Kanab, UT
Photo courtesy Lee Salawitch

The Quail Park Lodge is another motel sign found in Kanab, UT that is worthy of any roadside look. The marquee still features a huge neon boomerang arrow along with a distinctive sphere perched on top, creating a classic mid-century design that is difficult to miss.

Signs like this helped define the golden age of roadside travel, when motel owners competed for attention with bold shapes, bright colors, and plenty of neon. The Quail Park Lodge marquee remains one of Kanab's best surviving examples of that era. 05-09

UPDATE: The Quail Park Lodge remains open and has been thoughtfully restored while maintaining its vintage character. Fortunately, the iconic boomerang arrow sign survives as well, continuing to welcome travelers and serving as one of Kanab's most recognizable roadside landmarks. 06-26

Sun-n-Sand Motel
Kanab, UT
Photo courtesy Lee Salawitch

Here's the Sun-n-Sand Motel, located where else but Kanab, UT. The motel not only features a name that is popular among roadside stops, but a sign that is worthy of the name. The colors and neon blend surprisingly well with the surrounding desert landscape while still managing to catch the eye of travelers passing through town.

Like many independent motels of the era, the Sun-n-Sand relied on a distinctive roadside presence to stand apart from the competition. Its sign remains a great example of the creative designs that once lined highways throughout the American West. 05-09

UPDATE: The Sun-n-Sand Motel remains in operation in Kanab. Better yet, its classic roadside marquee continues to survive, preserving another piece of the town's rich collection of vintage motel signs. 06-26