Oxford Hotel (Gone)
Centralia, WA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Walking down Tower Avenue, the Oxford Hotel blade sign was hard to miss. Hanging high above the sidewalk, it gave the old brick hotel the kind of character that every downtown seemed to have years ago. 06-10

The hotel opened in 1913 and welcomed railroad travelers arriving in Centralia for decades. Along the way it even became part of Northwest folklore when train robber Roy Gardner was captured here after escaping from federal custody.

By the late 1990s the old hotel found a new life when McMenamins restored the building and transformed it into the Olympic Club Hotel. The historic hotel survived, but the familiar Oxford blade sign disappeared during the renovation.

UPDATE: The former Oxford Hotel now operates as the McMenamins Olympic Club Hotel. The original Oxford blade sign has been removed. 07-26

State Hotel
Seattle, WA
Photo courtesy Gorb70

Walking through Seattle's Pioneer Square, it's easy to get distracted by all the old brick buildings. Then you spot the State Hotel sign with its glowing promise of "Rooms 75¢," and suddenly you've stepped back to another era. 03-06

The building dates to 1889, just after the Great Seattle Fire, and has worn many hats over the years. For decades its upper floors operated as inexpensive hotel rooms for working men passing through the city, while the vintage blade sign became one of the neighborhood's most recognizable sights.

The old room rates may be long gone, but the sign still has the power to stop people in their tracks. It's one of those wonderful pieces of neon that instantly makes you wonder what Pioneer Square looked like when 75 cents could still buy you a night's sleep.

UPDATE: The former State Hotel has been converted into residential lofts, and the classic "Rooms 75¢" blade sign remains on the building. 07-26

Cecil Hotel (Demolished)
Vancouver B.C.
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The vertical Cecil Hotel sign was one of those landmarks that seemed to belong on Granville Street. Towering above the sidewalk, its bright lettering made it hard to miss, whether you were looking for a room or just wandering through downtown Vancouver. 03-06

The hotel opened in 1909 and spent a century watching the neighborhood change around it. Over the years its tavern became a favorite gathering place for artists, musicians, and writers before later gaining a very different reputation as the Cecil Show Lounge.

The building even survived the construction of the new Granville Street Bridge, although it lost its original front entrance in the process. By the time this photo was taken, the old neon sign was one of the last reminders of the hotel's long history.

UPDATE: The Cecil Hotel closed in 2010 and was later demolished. The landmark neon sign has been removed, and the site is now home to a condominium tower. 07-26

Yale Hotel
Vancouver B.C.
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The glowing blue saxophone hanging outside the Yale Hotel has been drawing people in for years. Even if you weren't looking for live music, it was one of those signs that made you want to stop and see what was happening inside. 03-06

Despite what older postcards and guidebooks sometimes say, the building dates to 1889, making it one of Vancouver's oldest surviving hotels. For years the Yale earned a reputation as one of the city's best blues clubs, welcoming everyone from local musicians to some of the biggest names in the business.

The old hotel has changed over the years, but the famous saxophone sign is still there, lighting up Granville Street just as it has for decades.

UPDATE: The upper floors now provide supportive housing, while the ground floor operates as the Yale Saloon. The restored saxophone neon continues to welcome visitors. 07-26

Hotel Stoddard (Demolished)
Tacoma, WA
Photo courtesy Gorb70

At first glance, the old Hotel Stoddard looked like one more forgotten downtown hotel. The faded sign was enough to make you wonder how many travelers had passed through its doors over the years. 02-07

Unfortunately, information about the hotel has become surprisingly hard to find. It was once part of Tacoma's downtown streetscape, but like many older buildings, it eventually disappeared during years of redevelopment.

Sometimes that's all that's left of a place, an old photograph and a name on a weathered building. Those little mysteries are part of what makes exploring older downtowns so interesting.

UPDATE: The Hotel Stoddard has been demolished, and the old building is gone. 07-26

Pioneer Square Hotel (Gone)
Seattle, WA
Photo courtesy Scott Strickland

Welcoming travelers for more than a century, the Pioneer Square Hotel has watched Seattle grow up around it. Originally known as the Hotel Yesler, the handsome brick building has been greeting visitors since 1914 and still offers a place to spend the night in the heart of the city's oldest neighborhood. 08-09

Like much of Pioneer Square, the hotel has seen its share of ups and downs. It slipped into hard times during the middle of the 20th century before a careful restoration in the 1990s brought the historic building back to life as a boutique hotel.

The architecture is reason enough to stop and look, with its classic brick facade, decorative balconies, and old-world feel. Even without a flashy neon sign, it fits perfectly into one of Seattle's most photogenic streets.

UPDATE: The former Hotel Yesler continues to operate as the Best Western Plus Pioneer Square Hotel Downtown, welcoming guests more than 100 years after it first opened. 07-26

Publix Hotel
Seattle, WA
Photo courtesy Scott Strickland

At first glance, the Publix Hotel looks like another surviving hotel from Seattle's Chinatown-International District. For decades it provided simple, affordable rooms for working people, making it a familiar sight along 5th Avenue South. 08-09

Built in 1927 as a single-room occupancy hotel, the Publix welcomed generations of laborers who came to Seattle to work in the canneries, lumber mills, and farms throughout the Northwest. It remained a working hotel for more than 75 years before the aging building finally closed in 2003, when the cost of repairs became too great.

Fortunately, that wasn't the end of the story. After sitting vacant for years, the historic building was rescued through a major restoration that preserved its character while giving it a new purpose.

UPDATE: The former Publix Hotel has been beautifully restored and now operates as the Publix Apartments. The historic entrance canopy remains as a reminder of the building's hotel days. 07-26

J-M Hotel (Closed)
Seattle, WA
Photo courtesy Scott Strickland

Standing on the corner in Pioneer Square, the J&M Hotel building looks like it has a story to tell. Between the vintage neon blade sign and the faded painted wall advertisement, it's one of those places that practically begs to be photographed. 08-09

Built in 1889 after the Great Seattle Fire, the building has worn many hats over the years. The upper floors became the J&M Hotel in the early 1900s, while the ground floor was home to the legendary J&M Cafe, a favorite gathering place for generations of Seattle locals.

The old cafe gained a reputation as one of the city's classic watering holes and even appeared in films like Singles and McQ. Although the hotel rooms closed decades ago, the building remained a familiar Pioneer Square landmark thanks to its distinctive neon sign.

UPDATE: The J&M Cafe closed in 2020, and the historic building is currently vacant while plans move forward for restoration. The iconic J&M blade sign still survives. 07-26