Parkway Motel
Billings, MT
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

The Parkway Motel in Billings, MT features an early Googie-style motel marquee. With its angular design and futuristic mid-century styling, the sign reflects a period when motel owners competed for attention with increasingly bold and imaginative roadside architecture.

While many signs from the era have disappeared, the Parkway's marquee remains a good example of the optimistic design trends that helped define postwar automobile travel across the American West.

UPDATE: The Parkway Motel remains in operation in Billings. Its distinctive Googie-style roadside sign continues to stand out front, making it one of the more recognizable surviving motel marquees in the area. 06-26

Town House Motel (Gone)
Billings, MT
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

How about this flashback sign for the Town House Motel, also located in Billings. The lettering and shape of the main portion of the sign serve as a good reminder of a different era of roadside travel.

The tall marquee's distinctive design helped the motel stand out to travelers passing through Billings. Signs like this were once a common sight along commercial corridors, but relatively few remain today.

UPDATE: The Town House Motel closed around 2007 and the property later became the Bourbon Street Hotel Tower III. The original motel marquee no longer survives in the form seen here, making photographs like this an important record of a sign that once helped define the property's identity. 06-26

Wrangler Motel
Colorado Springs, CO
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

Here's another sign with a rancher peeking up over the marquee. The Wrangler Motel in Colorado Springs features a sign that would make John Denver proud.

The cowboy-themed sign is a fitting match for the property's name and reflects a time when motel owners often relied on custom artwork and themed designs to stand out from the competition. Unlike many roadside motels, the Wrangler combined traditional lodging with RV accommodations, making it a convenient stop for a variety of travelers.

UPDATE: The Wrangler Motel remains in operation as part of the Wrangler RV Ranch & Motel. The property's distinctive roadside sign, complete with its rancher graphic topper, continues to welcome travelers along East Platte Avenue and remains one of Colorado Springs' more recognizable Western-themed motel marquees. 06-26

Bar L Motel
Longmont, CO
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Bar L Motel still features a rather large roadside marquee in Longmont, CO. The bold colors and oversized design are hard to miss and almost make you want to grab a rack of ribs before turning in for the night.

The motel opened by the early 1950s and was originally known as the Bar-C Motel. Over the years, the property evolved, but its large roadside sign remained a familiar landmark for travelers along Main Street.

UPDATE: The Bar L Motel remains in operation, and its large vintage marquee continues to stand along Main Street. The colorful sign remains one of Longmont's most recognizable roadside motel landmarks and serves as a reminder of the city's mid-century travel era. 06-26

La Vista Motel
Denver, CO
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The La Vista Motel sits along East Colfax Avenue in Denver. The motel's vintage marquee still features a small lantern perched on top, a distinctive detail that helps the sign stand out among the many surviving roadside relics found along the historic corridor.

Built in 1956, the motel welcomed travelers during the heyday of automobile tourism along U.S. Route 40. Over the years, the property experienced periods of decline and vacancy, leaving its future uncertain. 07-07

UPDATE: The La Vista Motel has been restored and returned to service as a boutique motel along East Colfax Avenue. The property's vintage sign, including its distinctive lantern topper, has been preserved and restored as part of the renovation, making La Vista one of Denver's more successful roadside preservation stories. 06-26

Robbers Roost Motel
Green River, UT
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

How about the Robbers Roost Motel with its interesting theme? This motel marquee is one of those eye-catchers that is becoming increasingly rare to find in an era of plain, forgettable signage.

The motel takes its name from the nearby Robbers Roost region, a remote area of southeastern Utah historically associated with Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch. Built in the 1940s, the property has welcomed travelers to Green River for generations.

UPDATE: The Robbers Roost Motel remains in operation and continues to welcome travelers passing through Green River. Its distinctive themed marquee remains one of Utah's most memorable roadside signs. I remember seeing the sign for the first time many years ago and being drawn to its unique design and personality. While the sign has changed over the years, it still stands out today and remains a favorite stop whenever I pass through town. 06-26

J's Motel
Colorado City, CO
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Yes, J's Motel has phones. This marquee is a rare one in that it prominently advertises telephones rather than the standard motel amenities of the era, such as color television or air conditioning.

The sign serves as a reminder of a time when having a telephone in every room was considered a noteworthy convenience worthy of billboard-sized advertising. Today, the feature feels more like a fascinating time capsule from a different era of roadside travel.

UPDATE: The exact history and location associated with this sign remain unclear. The photograph was originally identified as Colorado City, Colorado, although later research suggested a possible connection to a motel in Springfield. Additional research is needed to confirm the sign's provenance. 06-26