The Maples Motel
Sandusky, OH
Photo courtesy Emily Steele

This neon shot of the Maples Motel in Sandusky, Ohio shows the old sign doing exactly what it was built to do—letting travelers know there was still a vacancy waiting for them. It's a great looking sign, especially after dark when the neon comes to life.

The Maples has been welcoming guests for well over a century and is still family owned today. Over the years the motel has grown, but it has managed to keep the kind of roadside charm that made independent motels so popular with travelers.

One of the best parts of the sign is the old "Color TV" panel, a reminder of a time when that was considered a big selling point. It's little details like that which make old motel signs so much fun to photograph.

UPDATE: The Maples Motel is still open and continues to welcome travelers. The vintage neon sign is still standing and remains one of the area's best roadside attractions. 07-26

Stars Motel (Demolished)
Chicago, IL
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Here's a shot of The Stars Motel sign all lit up for the evening. Judging by this photo, the neon was in excellent shape and looked every bit as inviting as it must have when it first went up. It's the kind of sign that made roadside motels impossible to miss after dark.

The glowing neon at Stars Motel made this Chicago sign look ready for another busy evening. Its bright lettering was just the sort of advertisement that helped independent motels catch motorists’ attention after dark. Even without checking in, this was worth stopping to photograph.

The motel stood along North Lincoln Avenue’s old “Motel Row,” where roadside accommodations welcomed travelers before interstate travel changed the business. After demolition, the sign lingered above the empty property, outlasting the rooms it once advertised.

UPDATE: The Stars Motel on Lincoln Avenue is in the process of being demolished for new condo development. Thanks to the concern by the new developer over saving this sign, the sign was placed on eBay and sold for about a hundred dollars. The sign was purchased with plans to install it in a clothing store on Armitage Avenue in Chicago. Many thanks to Scott Schiller for update. 09-06

UPDATE: Stars Motel was demolished in 2006, but its neon marquee remained standing until December 2015. An earlier report described an auction sale and proposed reuse in a clothing store, although the sign’s eventual destination remains unclear. The motel and display are gone from Lincoln Avenue. 07-26

Tip Top Motel (Gone)
Chicago, IL
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

The Tip Top Motel had a marquee that certainly lived up to its name. With its glowing neon lettering, colorful accents, and bright arrow pointing the way to the entrance, it was one of those motel signs that was hard to miss along Chicago's old Motel Row. 05-09

The Tip Top welcomed travelers during the heyday of roadside motels, when North Lincoln Avenue was lined with independent places catering to motorists heading in and out of the city. Signs like this competed for attention, and this one did a pretty good job of standing out from the crowd.

One detail that's easy to overlook is the smaller neon panels advertising amenities like air conditioning and kitchenettes. Back then, those were selling points worth putting right on the sign.

UPDATE: The motel building is still standing and now operates under a different name, but the classic Tip Top Motel marquee has been removed. 07-26

Villa Rosa Motel (Rem.)
Perry, OH
Photo courtesy Steve Felder

The script neon at Villa Rosa Motel looked especially inviting in the twilight. Along old U.S. 20 in Perry, Ohio, this was a marquee worth noticing even if you didn’t need a room. The flowing lettering gave it a little elegance beyond the usual roadside motel sign.

The property followed the familiar motor-court arrangement, allowing guests to park near their rooms. While accommodations changed with the years, the sign photographed here captured the older roadside appearance that made independent motels interesting to explore.

UPDATE: Villa Rosa Motel remains open, but the neon marquee is gone. It was replaced nearly two decades ago with a simpler sign. Fortunately, this photograph preserves the graceful script and evening glow that once welcomed travelers along the old highway. 07-26

Saranay Motel (Demolished)
Royal Oak, MI
Photo courtesy Mark Hackett

The Saranay Motel in Royal Oak, Michigan had one of the more interesting motel signs around. The colorful marquee really came alive at night, creating a neat diamond-shaped effect that was hard to miss from Woodward Avenue. 04-01

The Saranay welcomed travelers for decades along one of Michigan's best-known highways. Like many independent motels of its era, it offered a convenient place to spend the night while its distinctive sign worked around the clock to attract passing motorists.

The multi-colored neon is what really made this one special. Depending on the angle, the sign almost seemed to change shape as the lights reflected through the diamond pattern. It was definitely one of those signs that looked even better after dark.

UPDATE: The Saranay Motel was demolished in 2019, and the sign was removed the following year. Today an AutoZone occupies the property. 07-26

Hart Motel (Removed)
Marion, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The winding neon arrow at Hart Motel gave this Marion, Indiana, marquee plenty of personality. Perched on a hill near the Mississinewa River bridge, it pointed arriving motorists toward the office with considerably more flair than a plain straight arrow. This was a sign worth watching after dark. 06-07

The motel has welcomed travelers for years as one of Marion’s independent lodging stops. Its buildings were part of the scene, but the colorful marquee made the strongest impression. That flashing, snaking arrow gave customers clear directions and roadside photographers something fun to capture.

UPDATE: Hart Motel remains open, but its neon marquee has been removed. The buildings survive without the display that once distinguished the property. Fortunately, this photograph records the arrow from the days when checking in came with a little animated neon welcome. 07-26

Kingswood Motel (Demolished)
Detroit, MI
Photo courtesy Mark Hackett

The bright marquee at Kingswood Motel helped light Woodward Avenue in Royal Oak, Michigan. Its neon gave passing motorists an easy landmark to spot after dark and made the property worth a look for anyone collecting photographs of old motel signs. 04-01

Kingswood belonged to the line of independent motels that served Woodward Avenue during the heyday of automobile travel. Each property needed something to catch the eye, and a distinctive illuminated sign could do plenty of the advertising. Imagine the drive when those displays were all glowing together.

UPDATE: Kingswood Motel was demolished in 2003, and a Fifth Third Bank now occupies the property. The neon sign is also gone. Photographs preserve another piece of Woodward Avenue’s motel history from the days when roadside lodging came with its own colorful introduction. 07-26