Candlelight Motel (Gone)
Columbus, GA Photo courtesy Kevin Powers
Some motel signs are memorable. Others are unforgettable. The Candlelight Motel had one of the most unusual around, with a giant candleholder supporting a glowing neon candle high above Victory Drive. It was the kind of sign that could make you look twice, even if you weren't planning to stop. 01-09
Built during the 1950s along the busy route between downtown Columbus and Fort Benning, the Candlelight welcomed vacationers, military families, and travelers with air-conditioned rooms, a restaurant, a swimming pool, and all the comforts expected during the golden age of the American road trip. The whimsical sign gave the motel a personality that chain hotels could never match.
Over the years, the motel faded along with many of the independent roadside stops that once lined Victory Drive. The rooms eventually closed, and the giant candle sign that had greeted motorists for decades disappeared as well.
UPDATE: The Candlelight Motel is gone today, and its distinctive candle-shaped roadside sign has been removed. 08-26
The Wigwam Motel
Cherokee, NC Photo courtesy Kevin Powers
Driving into Cherokee, it's hard not to notice the bright neon sign for the Wigwam Motel. With its teepee-shaped marquee standing beside U.S. 441, it's one of those classic roadside signs that practically demands a second look from anyone headed toward the Great Smoky Mountains. 11-98
Despite the name, the Wigwam isn't one of the famous concrete teepee motels found elsewhere around the country. Instead, it's a traditional roadside motel that used its eye-catching sign and neighboring craft shop to draw in generations of Smoky Mountain vacationers. For years, travelers even stopped to pose for photos beside decorative wigwams on the property before continuing on their trip.
While many of Cherokee's independent motels have disappeared over the years, the Wigwam has managed to keep welcoming guests. Its modest rows of rooms and famous neon marquee remain a familiar sight for visitors heading into the mountains, proving that sometimes a great roadside sign is all it takes to become a local landmark.
Wigwam Motel
Cherokee, NC Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack
Here's a photo of the Wigwam Motel in Cherokee, North Carolina.
This part of the Smoky Mountains is big on Indian themes. There is an
Indian casino as well as museum and plenty of opportunities to have your
picture taken with a chief. A small white sign out front says "We
are not high!" Hopefully, they meant the prices. Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info.
UPDATE: The Wigwam Motel remains open, and its iconic neon sign continues to welcome travelers to Cherokee. 08-26
Budget Motel
Dillon, SC Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack
The Budget Motel with its pretty tall vertical neon marquee is
located on 301 in Dillon, South Carolina. It is just a few feet from South
of the Border. You can see one of their florescent billboards in the background. Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info.
Built during the 1960s, the motel has spent decades welcoming travelers headed to and from the North Carolina state line. Long before Interstate 95 carried most vacation traffic, U.S. 301 was the main route south, and little motels like this depended on eye-catching signs to lure in weary motorists looking for a room.
The Budget Motel is one of the survivors. While many neighboring roadside businesses have disappeared over the years, its tall marquee still stands along the highway, continuing to greet travelers just a stone's throw from one of the South's most famous roadside attractions.
UPDATE: The Budget Motel remains open, and its towering roadside sign still watches over U.S. 301 near South of the Border. 08-26
Pink Motel Cherokee, NC Photo courtesy Kevin Powers
Some motel signs are designed to catch your eye. The Pink
Motel makes you feel like you've wandered into a fairy tale. With a pink fairy waving her wand over the marquee, it's one of the most whimsical roadside signs you'll find anywhere. If that doesn't make you slow down for a closer look, nothing will.
Opened in 1953, the Pink Motel has been welcoming Smoky Mountain travelers for generations. Owner Lois Queen Farthing painted nearly everything pink, from the outside of the motel to the bathrooms and even the matchbooks, creating a place that was impossible to confuse with any other motel in town. The famous fairy was added the same year, inspired by Disney's Peter Pan and Farthing's young daughter, who loved the movie.
The motel itself is every bit as charming as the sign. The rooms back up to the Oconaluftee River, and many still retain touches from the 1950s, including the distinctive pink-and-black tile bathrooms. While many of Cherokee's vintage motels have disappeared, the Pink Motel continues to welcome guests with the same playful personality that has made it a roadside favorite for more than seventy years.
Pink Motel from 2010
Cherokee, NC Photo courtesy Don Milne
UPDATE: The Pink Motel is located on the Oconaluftee River on US- 441 in Cherokee, NC. It was still operating in April, 2010 with that beautiful pink sign. Many thanks to Don Milne http://www.roadtrip62.com for info. 10-13
UPDATE: The Pink Motel remains open, and its beautifully restored fairy sign continues to delight travelers entering Cherokee. 08-26
Crystal River Tourist Court
Cave City, AR Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell
The roadside sign alone is enough to make you pull over. Standing out front of the Crystal River Tourist Court, the colorful Native American figure points the way to one of Arkansas' more unusual roadside stops. At first glance it looks like an old tourist court, but there's much more waiting beneath the property. 09-10
Opened in 1934, the Crystal River Tourist Court offered travelers more than just a place to spend the night. Stone cabins surrounded the property while guided cave tours took visitors underground to explore the limestone cave hidden below. It was the kind of stop that turned an ordinary highway trip into something worth remembering.
The tourist court eventually closed and sat quietly for more than twenty years, leaving many to wonder if it would ever reopen. Fortunately, the historic property was given a second chance, and seasonal cave tours have returned. The old stone buildings and the familiar roadside sign are still there, making it easy to imagine the days when families pulled off U.S. 167 to spend the night and explore the cave before getting back on the road.
UPDATE: Crystal River Cave & Courts is once again open for seasonal tours, and the vintage roadside sign continues to welcome visitors. 08-26
Candlelight Motel (Gone)
The Wigwam Motel
Wigwam Motel
Budget Motel
Crystal River Tourist Court
