Wigwam Village
Cave City, KY Photos courtesy Wiley Brewer
The Wigwam Village in Cave City, KY
features a fantastic neon marquee out front. Not to mention the rarity
of seeing a motel with rosoms in the shape of a tee pee.
11-70 Motor Courts (Closed)
Knoxville, TN Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans
The highway-shield sign at 11-70 Motor Court makes its name especially appropriate for this Kingston Pike property. Numbered cabins and the surviving roadside display preserve the appearance of an overnight stop from the years when U.S. 11 and U.S. 70 carried travelers through Knoxville.
Dating to around 1935, the court featured individual accommodations with attached garages. That arrangement offered motorists shelter for both themselves and their automobiles, reflecting an earlier stage of roadside lodging before open parking spaces became the standard. The route numbers supplied a practical name that travelers could immediately connect with their journey.
UPDATE: The motor court no longer rents rooms to passing travelers and has been maintained as a private residence. Its cabins and distinctive sign survive, keeping the property's original purpose recognizable from the road. It remains an unusually complete reminder of Kingston Pike's pre-interstate travel history. 11-26
White Horse Motel (Closed)
Biscoe, NC Photo courtesy Tony Craig
The suspended horse above White Horse Motel made this roadside advertisement difficult to overlook. Supported high within an open metal framework, the oversized figure turned the business name into a landmark visible well before motorists reached the entrance.
The display advertised both a motel and restaurant, pairing overnight accommodations with a convenient meal. Its appeal came from the recognizable silhouette rather than elaborate lettering: one glance at the horse identified the property. The unusual support structure gave the figure an almost floating appearance above the roadside panels.
UPDATE: The motel has closed, but the towering horse sign survives beside the highway. Its continued presence preserves the identity of a business that no longer welcomes overnight guests. The horse remains the memorable feature, demonstrating how an imaginative advertisement can outlast the operation it was built to promote. 11-26
The tall neon sign at Biltmore Tourist Court once pointed motorists toward an overnight stop along Kingston Pike. Its prominent lettering belonged to a highway lined with competing tourist courts, restaurants, and service stations. Even after the rooms stopped welcoming guests, the marquee remained a recognizable reminder of the years when U.S. 11 and U.S. 70 carried travelers through Knoxville. 03-06
Dating to 1949, the Biltmore opened during the postwar growth of automobile vacations. Kingston Pike already had an established lodging trade, with individual cabins and small motor courts offering alternatives to downtown hotels. The Biltmore joined that roadside lineup, using its sign to attract motorists who often chose their accommodations only after seeing what was available along the route.
The property's usefulness continued after its lodging business ended. Former guest units became storage spaces, allowing the buildings to survive for years beyond their original purpose. With the cabins and sign still together, passing drivers could recognize the outline of the old tourist court. That combination preserved more of its roadside setting than a lone marquee standing over an empty lot.
UPDATE: The Biltmore Tourist Court dates back to 1949 on US70/11 in Knoxville TN. It has been closed for many years and the units are being used for storage now, however the old sign still remains. Many thanks to Doug Harveyfor info. 03-06
UPDATE: Biltmore Tourist Court was demolished in 2011, and its familiar sign was removed that year. The loss ended both the property's storage use and its long presence beside Kingston Pike. Earlier views preserve the cabins and neon advertisement as parts of a once-common highway arrangement that has become increasingly scarce around Knoxville. 11-26
Robins Motel (Gone)
Warner Robins, GA Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack
The Robins Motel is on a strip that follows some railroad tracks
in Warner Robins, Georgia. Several shacks lined the tracks such as bars
and convenience stores before there were chains. Directly across the street
was Robin's Air Force base - a huge facility which seemed on high alert.
Six sheriffs cars were parked out front and a constant stream of cars
were entering the base. A large bomber was circling overhead. It was a
very apocalyptic scene given recent events. Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info.
The motel's setting tied it closely to the railroad and military installation across the street. Both helped shape the surrounding community and its demand for accommodations. A 1983 Georgia travel directory still listed Robins Motel, recording its place among the city's independent overnight businesses.
UPDATE: Robins Motel has been demolished, and redevelopment has substantially changed the former trackside strip. The old buildings and motel identity are gone. Earlier views preserve a small part of Warner Robins' roadside landscape before wider roads and newer development altered the corridor. 11-26
The Peach Blossom Motel sits on Business 85 through Spartanburg
in upstate SC. The neon writing seems almost overshadowed by what looks
like a boat mast of light bulbs off one side. Right next door is the motel
itself complete with a lit up flower. Peaches are big in this section
of the state. Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info.
Vintage postcards advertised air conditioning, color television in every room, telephones, and a swimming pool reserved for guests. An on-site restaurant promised “excellent food,” while the AAA emblem added reassurance for travelers. The peach-blossom theme supplied a regional connection appropriate to upstate South Carolina's fruit-growing country.
UPDATE: Peach Blossom Motel has closed, and the property and its distinctive signs have disappeared. The script marquee, bulb framework, and flower display survive in earlier views and postcard advertising. Together, they record an independent motel that gave an interstate stop an identity beyond a room and parking space. 11-26
11-70 Motor Courts (Closed)
White Horse Motel (Closed)
Biltmore Tourist Court (Gone)
Biltmore Tourist Court
Robins Motel (Gone)
Peach Blossom Motel (Gone)
