Echo Motel (Demolished)
Elkhart, IN
Photo courtesy Michelle K

Here's an old roadside sign for the Echo Motel, located in Elkhart, Indiana. The sign proudly advertises TV, but the illuminated letters spell out "Vacancy." Exactly how that all worked is a bit of a roadside mystery, and that's part of what makes this sign so much fun.

As motels modernized during the 1950s and 1960s, many owners updated their signs to advertise televisions, one of the biggest selling points of the day. Instead of replacing an entire sign, it wasn't unusual for sections to be modified or added over the years. The result was sometimes an interesting mix of old and new, like the one seen here.

Whatever the story behind it, the Echo Motel had the kind of sign that makes you stop for a closer look. It's proof that even an ordinary roadside motel could have a little personality.

UPDATE: The Echo Motel has been demolished, and the old roadside sign is gone as well. Today the property has been redeveloped, leaving this photo as one of the few reminders that the motel was ever there. 07-26

Duellman's Motel (Demolished)
Downers Grove, IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The Duellman's Motel had one of those signs that makes you stop for a second look. The support column featured a series of decorative cutouts that gave the marquee a little extra style without going overboard. It was a simple touch, but it helped the sign stand out along busy Ogden Avenue.

Like many motels that lined America's highways, Duellman's advertised the comforts of the day right on its sign. Air conditioned rooms, a playroom for families, and a bright neon arrow all worked together to catch the attention of passing motorists. Sometimes it's the little design details that make an otherwise ordinary motel memorable, and this sign certainly had a personality of its own.

UPDATE: The Duellman's Motel has been demolished, and the distinctive roadside sign disappeared before the property was cleared. The site has since been redeveloped with new residential buildings, making this another classic motel that's now part of history. 07-26

Hollywood Motel
Southgate, MI
Photo courtesy Mark Hackett

Southgate is home to the Hollywood Motel and its colorful roadside sign. Motel marquees like this are becoming harder to find, making them stand out even more in a world filled with plain backlit plastic signs. This one has plenty of character and does a great job of catching your eye as you drive by.

The motel sits along busy Dix Toledo Road and has been welcoming travelers for decades. It's a fairly small motor court, but the bright sign gives it a much bigger presence. That's one of the things that made these independent motels so much fun. They each had their own personality, and owners weren't afraid to let their signs do the talking.

Fortunately, this is one that's still around. While the sign has been updated over the years, it still retains the look and feel of the original design. It's always nice to see another classic motel sign continuing to greet travelers instead of ending up in the scrapyard.

UPDATE: The Hollywood Motel is still open today, and its colorful roadside sign remains standing along Dix Toledo Road. While parts of the sign have changed over the years and the neon is gone, it's great to see this piece of roadside Americana still welcoming guests. 07-26

Presidential Inn Motel (Gone)
Cicero, IL
Photo courtesy Kelly Coalier

Looking for a hot tub for two... or maybe a free rubber ducky? Then the Presidential Inn Motel had you covered. The motel wasn't shy about promoting its whirlpool suites, and the promise of a complimentary rubber ducky certainly made for one of the more unusual roadside promotions around. Even the locals were invited to stop by and spend the night.

Located along busy Harlem Avenue, the Presidential Inn carved out its own niche by offering something a little different from the typical roadside motel. While most motels advertised air conditioning or color TV, this one leaned into romance and novelty instead. It's hard to imagine too many travelers passing by without at least getting a smile from the sign.

UPDATE: The motel is still standing, but it no longer operates as the Presidential Inn. Today it's known as the De Luxe Inn, and the original Presidential Inn sign has been replaced during the property's rebranding. 07-26

The Maples Motel
Sandusky, OH
Photo courtesy Emily Steele

Here's a shot of the marquee outside the Maples Motel in Sandusky. Better yet, the sign proudly lets everyone know the motel is heated! That may not sound like much today, but it was a feature worth advertising when travelers were looking for a warm place to spend the night along the shores of Lake Erie.

The Maples Motel has been welcoming visitors for generations. Its roots go all the way back to 1909, when the owners' family opened a handful of tourist cabins for travelers. Those early cabins eventually grew into the motel that's still there today, and a few of the original cabins have even been preserved on the property. The vintage roadside sign, dating to the 1930s, has become just as much a part of the motel's identity as the rooms themselves.

It's always nice to find a place that's still family-owned after all these years. Between the classic neon sign and the preserved cabins, the Maples offers a nice glimpse back to the early days of roadside travel.

UPDATE: The Maples Motel is still open today, and its vintage roadside sign continues to welcome travelers along U.S. Route 6. The motel has faced challenges from nearby road improvement projects, but fortunately both the motel and its classic sign remain standing. 07-26

U.S. Grant Motel
Mattoon, IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

Check out this great sign for the U.S. Grant Motel. The bold shield design gives the marquee a patriotic look that's hard to miss, making it one of those signs that's every bit as memorable as the motel it advertised.

The motel stood along U.S. Route 45 in Mattoon, where it welcomed travelers for many years. It even earned a recommendation from Duncan Hines back when his travel guides were one of the best ways to find a good place to eat or spend the night. That's the kind of endorsement motel owners were proud to advertise.

Fortunately, the sign escaped a much different fate than the motel itself. Before the buildings were torn down, the marquee was purchased by a private collector and saved from the scrapyard. It's always nice to know that a classic sign like this gets a second chance.

UPDATE: The U.S. Grant Motel was demolished in 2025 after sitting vacant for years. Fortunately, the motel's distinctive roadside sign had already been removed and preserved in a private collection. 07-26

Cottonwood Motel (Demolished)
Lewistown, IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The Cottonwood Motel sign in Lewistown was doing its best to catch the attention of passing travelers when this photo was taken. With its tall design and sweeping script, it had the kind of look that made roadside motels so much more interesting than today's cookie-cutter hotel signs. Not sure if the neon was still working then, but it was still an eye-catcher either way.

For many years the Cottonwood Motel welcomed travelers along the highway through Lewistown. The motel was owned and operated by the same family for four decades, making it a familiar stop for both visitors and locals alike. Sometimes it's the signs that become the lasting memory of a place, and this one certainly had plenty of personality.

UPDATE: The Cottonwood Motel has been demolished to make way for a new boutique lodging development. Unfortunately, the old roadside sign is gone as well, and it's not known whether it was saved before the property was cleared. 07-26

Capital Motel
Columbus, OH
Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans

The Capital Motel features lodging both inside and, apparently, right next to its marquee. Not sure if the sofa behind the tree is a recliner, but it certainly adds a little character to the scene. The sign itself is classic roadside Americana, with bold block letters spelling out "MOTEL" for motorists traveling along old U.S. Route 40.

The Capital Motel has been welcoming travelers for decades from its spot on East Main Street. It's a simple, single-story motor court, but the vintage sign gives it a personality that's hard to overlook. These are the kinds of independent motels that once lined America's highways, each hoping a memorable sign would be enough to earn another night's business.

UPDATE: The Capital Motel is still open today, and its classic roadside marquee continues to stand along historic U.S. Route 40. It's always nice to see another vintage motel sign still doing the job it was built to do. 07-26