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Candlelight Motel
Ozark, AL
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The neon candle at Candle Light Motel gives motorists along U.S. 231 an unmistakable introduction. Its bright flame turns the motel's name into a recognizable roadside symbol, catching attention before travelers reach the entrance. 01-09

The property follows the familiar independent-motel arrangement, with convenient parking and accommodations close to the highway. Its candle-shaped display supplies the individuality, combining an everyday object with illuminated advertising. The neon is part of the design itself, rather than simply lighting a painted illustration.

UPDATE: Candle Light Motel remains open in Ozark, and recent property photographs show the familiar candle marquee surviving. Updated rooms continue serving travelers while the sign retains its older roadside identity. Good to see this distinctive advertisement still associated with an operating motel. 11-26

Georgian Motor Court (Closed)
Cordele, GA
Photo courtesy Kate Durall

The colorful sign at Georgian Motor Court recalled when U.S. 41 carried vacation traffic through Cordele. Its prominent lettering and vacancy panel advertised an overnight stop to motorists following one of Georgia's important pre-interstate routes. 11-08

Dating to around 1950, the court promoted air-conditioned rooms, electric heat, and modern furnishings. Those conveniences helped independent accommodations compete for travelers heading toward Florida. The later orange, yellow, and brown sign treatment added another period of roadside styling to the older property.

UPDATE: Georgian Motor Court closed in 1982. Subsequent documentation records the buildings and sign surviving behind the property's gate, although neither has returned to its original use. The abandoned court preserves traces of the lodging businesses that depended on U.S. 41 before Interstate 75 redirected much of the passing traffic. 11-26

Pine Lake Motel (Gone)
Pike Road, AL
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The boomerang arrow at Pine Lake Motel curved over an unusually shaped panel carrying the motel lettering. Its rounded forms and angular direction marker made an eye-catching combination beside the highway south of Montgomery. 01-09

Located along the U.S. 82 and U.S. 231 corridor, the motel served travelers with rooms and a nearby restaurant. Vintage advertising described it as “New and Nice,” with AAA identification offering another reassurance. The elaborate sign gave those practical accommodations a distinctive roadside introduction.

UPDATE: The property later became a Relax Inn, ending the Pine Lake name before 2018. Its vintage marquee was removed, taking away the boomerang arrow and shaped lettering panel. The location continued in lodging use, but the advertisement that made Pine Lake recognizable disappeared. 11-26

Lee Motel (Demolished)
Pell City, AL
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Lee Motel located in Pell City, AL still has an old faded out sign with some character. The sign looks like all of the neon has been stripped away for some time. The Lee Motel was abandoned when this photo was taken. Many thanks to Alan Culley for info. 01-09

“Where Southern Hospitality Excels” was the motel's postcard slogan. Owners Frank and Kathryn Edwards advertised thirty fireproof units with air conditioning, panel heat, ceramic-tile bathrooms, television, and wall-to-wall carpeting. A children's playground added family appeal, while its position two blocks from U.S. 231 and U.S. 78 was promoted as quiet.

UPDATE: Lee Motel has been demolished, and its old roadside sign is gone. The postcard's detailed list of amenities preserves a clearer picture of the business during its working years. Earlier photographs record the weathered marquee before the property lost its most recognizable advertisement. 11-26

Norris Dam Motel (Gone)
Lake City, TN
Photo courtesy Kevin Powers

This marquee is from the Norris Dam Motel in Lake City, Tennessee. The old 3-level mountainside motel is apparently now being used as a private residence. Many thanks to Kevin Powers for info. 11-09

The three-level hillside arrangement at Norris Dam Motel distinguished it from the usual flat motor court. Its vertical roadside sign marked accommodations rising behind the entrance, creating an unusual lodging scene near Norris Lake. 11-09

Dating to 1955, the property included a separate restaurant and office alongside its multistory guest wing. Owners Charles and Mrs. Mars promoted modern rooms, a shady lawn, and boating and fishing on the lake. AAA approval appeared in its advertising, adding another credential for motorists considering an overnight stay.

UPDATE: The former motel has been used as a private residence rather than overnight accommodations. Its vintage roadside sign is gone, but the hillside buildings survive. The property retains an unusual layout from the years when lake recreation helped support independent motels around Norris Dam. 11-26

Polk Motel (Gone)
Columbia, TN
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

“50 Beautiful Units” announced the accommodations at Polk Motel, while neon vacancy lettering supplied the information motorists needed next. The prominent marquee made this Columbia property recognizable along U.S. 31, combining a local historical name with straightforward highway advertising. 11-10

Opened in 1947, the motel served travelers before Interstate 65 became the principal north–south route. Columbia Neon installed its later landmark sign in 1964. The same company returned decades afterward to dismantle the display, giving the sign's removal a connection to its original installation.

UPDATE: Polk Motel closed in 2014, and redevelopment followed in 2019. The motel buildings are gone, but its neon advertisement was saved and subsequently displayed elsewhere in Columbia. The sign survived beyond the lodging business, preserving a recognizable piece of the city's old highway landscape. 11-26