Pleasant View Motel (Gone)
Wisconsin Dells, WI
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The Pleasant View Motel had one of the best atomic-age motel signs around. Surrounded by colorful orbs and topped with a four-point star, the marquee looked like something straight out of the Space Age. It was exactly the kind of eye-catching design that helped travelers pick a place to stay as they cruised through Wisconsin Dells. 03-09

Located along the busy Wisconsin Dells Parkway, the Pleasant View was one of many independent motels that helped make the area a roadside vacation destination. As tourism grew, the property was eventually purchased by the neighboring Treasure Island Resort before becoming part of the expanding Mt. Olympus Resort complex. Along the way, the motel lost both its identity and its distinctive roadside sign.

While the motel is gone, its atomic-inspired marquee remains a great reminder of the creativity that went into roadside architecture during the 1950s and 1960s. It's another sign that would have looked right at home in a postcard from the Space Age.

UPDATE: The Pleasant View Motel was absorbed into the Mt. Olympus Resort, and its distinctive atomic-era sign has been removed. 07-26

Star Lite Motel (Gone)
Harvey, IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The Star Lite Motel had one of the wildest motel signs around. With its mix of geometric shapes, colorful lettering, and bold arrow, the marquee looked like it came straight out of the Space Age. It was another great reminder that Googie design wasn't just a West Coast phenomenon—some of the best examples could be found around Chicago as well. 02-09

Although often associated with Chicago, the motel was actually located in nearby Harvey, Illinois, along one of the area's busy commercial highways. The unusual sign made it nearly impossible to miss and remains one of the more memorable motel marquees to come out of the Chicago suburbs.

Unfortunately, both the motel and its iconic sign are gone today. Like so many independent motels that once lined America's highways, the Star Lite eventually faded away, leaving only photographs to document one of the Midwest's most distinctive roadside signs.

UPDATE: The Star Lite Motel is gone, and its memorable Googie-style marquee had disappeared by 2014. 07-26

Baker's Motel (Rem.)
Zanesville, OH
Photo courtesy Mark Hackett

The Baker's Motel has one of the more unusual roadside signs you'll come across. Sitting on top of the marquee is an atomic-era design that almost looks like a giant molecule... or maybe a piece of candy from Disneyland. Either way, it's a fun bit of roadside styling that makes this sign stand out along old U.S. Route 40. 07-09

Opened in 1937, Baker's Motel is one of the oldest continuously operating family-owned motor courts along the Historic National Road. Located just east of Zanesville in Norwich, the motel has welcomed generations of travelers and still retains much of its classic roadside charm. The vintage sign remains the property's signature feature, serving as a reminder of the Space Age influence that found its way into motel architecture during the 1950s.

It's always great to see a place like this still in business. While so many independent motels have disappeared over the years, Baker's continues to welcome guests more than 85 years after it first opened.

UPDATE: Baker's Motel remains open today, and its distinctive atomic era roadside sign is no longer standing along Historic U.S. Route 40. 07-26

4 Seasons Motel (Gone)
WI
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The 4 Seasons Motel proved that Googie architecture wasn't just a West Coast phenomenon. Its incredible roadside sign featured multiple boomerangs, bold block lettering, and a cluster of bright red "satellite" balls that looked like they belonged straight out of the Space Age. It was one of the most eye-catching motel signs in Wisconsin Dells and a great example of the creativity that defined the roadside during the 1950s and 1960s. 09-09

Located along the Wisconsin Dells Parkway, the 4 Seasons Motel was one of many family-owned motels that welcomed generations of vacationers before the area was transformed by large resort developments. Eventually, the property was purchased by Mt. Olympus and incorporated into its expanding resort complex. While the motel buildings still survive in a different role, the spectacular Googie sign that once drew travelers off the highway is gone.

It's a shame the marquee wasn't preserved. Signs like this helped give Wisconsin Dells its unique roadside character and showed that some of the best Space Age designs could be found far from California.

UPDATE: The former 4 Seasons Motel is now part of the Mt. Olympus complex, and its iconic Googie roadside sign has been removed. 07-26

Pine Dell Motel (Gone)
WI
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The Pine Dell Motel didn't rely on flashy neon or giant boomerangs to get your attention. Instead, its sign featured a simple but distinctive design, highlighted by a paper clip-like shape that framed the marquee. The flowing script used for the motel name contrasted nicely with the bold vertical "MOTEL" lettering, giving the sign a clean look with just enough mid-century flair. 09-09

Located along the busy Wisconsin Dells Parkway, the Pine Dell was one of the many family-owned motels that once lined the strip. As larger resorts expanded, the motel was eventually absorbed into the growing Mt. Olympus complex. The buildings remain as part of the resort, but the Pine Dell name and its distinctive roadside sign have disappeared.

It's another reminder of how quickly the independent motels of Wisconsin Dells gave way to larger attractions, taking many unique roadside signs with them.

UPDATE: The Pine Dell Motel is now part of the Mt. Olympus resort complex, and its vintage roadside sign has been removed. 07-26

Flagship Motel (Rem.)
Springfield, MO
Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans

The Flagship Motel is a great throwback to the days when motel signs were designed to grab your attention from a block away. With its double boomerangs, geometric shapes, and bold lettering, it's one of Springfield's best surviving examples of Googie design. Better yet, the sign still appears to be in excellent condition. 09-09

The property began life as the Americana Motel when it opened in 1959 along Springfield's busy Route 66 corridor. Around 1980, it was renamed the Flagship Motel, with the original sign updated while keeping its distinctive mid-century design. Before the motel was built, the site was home to the White City Tourist Park, which welcomed travelers beginning in the late 1920s.

Today, the Flagship Motel continues to welcome guests, and its eye-catching marquee remains one of the best reminders of the creative roadside architecture that once lined America's highways.

UPDATE: The Flagship Motel remains in business, and its classic double-boomerang marquee has not greeted travelers along historic Route 66 for many years. 07-26