Belleville Motel (Demolished)
Belleville, IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

Here's the sign for the Belleville Motel in Belleville, Illinois. When this photo was taken, the marquee still looked to be in great shape. With its clean lines and classic mid-century styling, it was the kind of sign that could easily catch the eye of passing travelers.

The Belleville Motel opened during the postwar travel boom of the 1950s, when independent motels lined highways across the country. Located along busy North Belt West, it welcomed motorists for many years before eventually giving way to redevelopment. While the motel itself was fairly typical of the era, the well-kept sign gave it a little extra roadside appeal.

UPDATE: The Belleville Motel has been demolished, and the vintage roadside sign disappeared along with it. The property has since been redeveloped into a modern shopping center, making this another classic motel that's now part of roadside history. 07-26

Fremont Turnpike Motel (Rem.)
Oak Harbor, OH
Photo courtesy Emily Steele

Here's an old roadside motel that once welcomed travelers off the Ohio Turnpike. Fremont Turnpike Motel features a classic single-story motor court and, back when this photo was taken, an old roadside sign that made it easy to spot from the highway. Signs like this probably sold plenty of rooms over the years.

The motel was built during the travel boom that followed the opening of the Ohio Turnpike in the 1950s. Located near the Fremont exit, it offered road trippers a convenient place to spend the night before getting back on the road. It wasn't a fancy place, but that's part of what makes old motels like this so interesting.

Over the years, the Fremont Turnpike Motel was renamed the Delux Inn, but the original motor court is still there. It's always nice to see an old roadside motel continue doing what it was built to do, even if the vintage sign that first caught everyone's attention is gone.

UPDATE: The motel is still open today as the Delux Inn. Unfortunately, the original Fremont Turnpike Motel sign has been replaced with a modern one, but the old motor court remains. 07-26

Orchard Motel (Demolished)
Oak Harbor, OH
Photo courtesy Emily Steele

Somewhat close to Fremont is the Orchard Motel, a small roadside motor court with a vintage marquee that was still standing when this photo was taken. The motel sat along State Route 53 on the way to Catawba Island, making it a familiar stop for vacationers headed toward Lake Erie. The old sign probably caught the attention of plenty of travelers over the years.

Built in 1950, the Orchard Motel was one of many family-owned motels that sprang up during the postwar travel boom. It wasn't a large place, but it offered a convenient overnight stop for visitors exploring the Lake Erie shoreline and nearby attractions. The simple motor court and classic roadside sign were exactly the kind of sights that made highway travel interesting.

UPDATE: Unfortunately, the Orchard Motel didn't survive. The buildings were demolished in 2022, and the old motel sign disappeared along with them. The property has since been redeveloped, making this photo a nice reminder of another piece of roadside America that's now gone. 07-26

Parakeet Motel (Demolished)
Springfield, MO
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

Here's a nice shot of the Parakeet Motel marquee along the Springfield roadside. The colorful parakeet perched on top gives the sign plenty of personality and makes it hard to miss. It was the kind of fun roadside advertising that helped independent motels stand out to passing travelers.

The motel sat along Highway 60 west of Springfield and welcomed motorists heading across southwest Missouri. While the buildings themselves were fairly typical of the era, the sign was anything but. The bright parakeet was a memorable touch and probably convinced more than a few travelers to pull in for the night. It's always nice to see motel owners add a little character instead of settling for an ordinary sign.

UPDATE: Sadly, the Parakeet Motel was destroyed by a fire in late 2015. The damaged buildings were later demolished, and the colorful parakeet sign disappeared along with them. Today the property sits vacant, making photos like this one a reminder of another piece of roadside America that's gone. 07-26

Abandoned Motel
Kokomo, IN
Photo courtesy Emily Steele

Here's a shot of an old abandoned motel in Kokomo. It's probably safe to say this isn't what the Beach Boys had in mind when they were singing about Kokomo. The faded buildings and weathered sign have seen much better days, but they still make for an interesting roadside stop.

Very little is known about the motel itself, and even its original name isn't completely certain. It once stood along the busy U.S. Highway 31 corridor, serving travelers passing through Kokomo before eventually falling into disrepair. By the time this photo was taken, the motel had clearly been sitting empty for quite a while, leaving behind the kind of forgotten roadside scene that's always hard to drive past without stopping.

UPDATE: The abandoned motel has since been demolished, and the old sign disappeared along with it. Today there's little evidence it was ever there, making this another roadside relic that's now just a memory. 07-26