Par King Golf (Demolished)
Morton Grove, IL
Photo courtesy Jason Carlton

Here's a shot of what looks to be a mini golf course in Morton Grove. The front entrance sign for Par King Golf is a roadside delight.

Par-King began in the late 1950s as part of a driving range called 4G Fairways, short for George's Gorgeous Golfing Garden. What started as a small miniature golf course to entertain golfers' children quickly became the main attraction. Before long, the driving range was gone and Par-King had earned a national reputation as one of the country's most imaginative miniature golf courses.

The castle-inspired entrance sign perfectly captures the fun waiting inside. It's the kind of sign that makes you want to pull over, grab a putter, and see what's around the next obstacle. 08-17

UPDATE: The original Morton Grove course closed in 2003 and was demolished two years later, but the Par-King tradition lives on at its larger Lincolnshire location. The family-owned course continues to entertain new generations of miniature golfers, carrying on the legacy that began in Morton Grove nearly 70 years ago. 06-26

Mount Clemens Federal Savings and Loan Association (Closed)
Mt. Clemens, MI
Photo courtesy Dave Dudek

Here's a classic mid-century bank building from Mt. Clemens, complete with a swoopy roof and lots of glass. Designed by architect William Kessler and opened in 1961, the building for Mount Clemens Federal Savings and Loan Association reflected the optimism of the Space Age, when banks were beginning to embrace bold modern architecture instead of traditional stone columns and brick facades. Its dramatic thin-shell concrete roof, sweeping upward at each corner, made the building look unlike anything else in town and quickly turned it into a local landmark.

Even everyday errands like depositing a paycheck could feel a little futuristic in a building like this. It's another reminder that some of the most interesting roadside architecture wasn't found at motels or gas stations—it was hiding in plain sight at the neighborhood bank. 08-17

UPDATE: The former bank has been adaptively reused and remains one of Mt. Clemens' best-known modern buildings. Although banking operations are long gone, the striking roofline and glass walls have been preserved, allowing this Space Age landmark to continue serving the community in a new role. 06-26

Bank One (Gone)
Columbus, OH
Photo and info courtesy Michael Sekeres

This dome drive-through is a Bank One branch with two drive-through windows, a walk-up window, and an ATM—but no lobby.

From the looks of things, this bank also resembles a 1960s spaceport—a fine find out in Columbus. During the postwar years, banks began designing branches around the automobile, making it possible to handle nearly every transaction without ever leaving your car. Dome-shaped drive-through branches like this captured the futuristic optimism of the era while making everyday banking a little more convenient.

It's hard to imagine a neighborhood bank looking much more Space Age than this. Buildings like these proved that even the most ordinary errands could come with a little architectural flair. 08-17

UPDATE: Following Bank One's merger with JPMorgan Chase, many of the company's distinctive standalone drive-through branches disappeared as banking operations were consolidated. Word is that the unique space pod looking dome has disappeared. Photographs like this preserve one of the more imaginative examples of mid-century roadside banking architecture. 06-26

Papa's Pancake House (Demolished)
Indianapolis, IN
Photo courtesy Emily Steele

Check out the roofline on Papa's Pancake House in Indianapolis. This longtime local favorite had been serving hungry customers since at least 1971.

Its dramatic A-frame roof was impossible to miss from nearby Interstate 465. During the 1960s and 1970s, restaurants often used bold architecture instead of towering signs to grab the attention of passing motorists. The steep roofline became Papa's trademark, making the building just as memorable as the pancakes served inside.

For generations of Indianapolis residents, Papa's was more than just a breakfast stop. It became a popular late-night gathering place where shift workers, families, and night owls all seemed to cross paths. 03-07

UPDATE: Papa's Pancake House has closed after decades of serving the east side of Indianapolis. The building was demolished and replaced with a Bank of America building during the pandemic. 06-26

Sharkey's Bar and Restaurant
IN
Photo and info courtesy Emily Steele

Here's Sharkey's Bar and Restaurant, a neighborhood spot that may no longer be in business. The roadside sign is the real attraction, with its bold lettering and unmistakable shark mascot welcoming customers from the road. 03-07

Signs like this gave independent taverns their own personality and often became just as memorable as the food and drinks served inside. Whether you stopped in for dinner, a cold beer, or simply drove past on your way home, colorful roadside advertising helped define the character of countless small-town and neighborhood business districts.

UPDATE: The current status of Sharkey's Bar and Restaurant and its roadside sign has not been confirmed. If the business has closed, photographs like this preserve another example of the colorful independent tavern signs that once lined roads throughout the Midwest. 06-26