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Detroiter Motel (Gone)
AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

Peeling paint and faded lettering gave the Detroiter Motel marquee a weathered appearance, but its projecting shape still caught the eye beside the highway. Empty rooms and encroaching weeds showed that the property had moved well beyond its days of welcoming overnight travelers.

The sign was the strongest surviving advertisement for the abandoned motel. Its framework remained recognizable even as the finish deteriorated, illustrating how roadside displays could outlast the businesses beneath them. Without a confirmed town or opening date, the visible buildings and marquee provide the clearest record of this Arkansas lodging stop.

UPDATE: Detroiter Motel is gone, and its roadside sign has been removed. Earlier views preserve the faded display and vacant accommodations before their disappearance. Another small independent motel has passed from the highway landscape into the photographic record. 11-26

Angler Motel
Royal, AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

“World Famous” gives the Angler Motel marquee a confident introduction along U.S. 270 in Royal. The vintage sign suits a property near Lake Ouachita, where fishing trips and outdoor vacations have long supplied reasons to spend the night.

Built in 1955, the motel has received substantial improvements while retaining its recognizable roadside identity. A swimming pool, party deck, and outdoor music stage expanded its appeal beyond a room near the lake. The old sign remains the connection between the original motor court and its newer recreational features.

UPDATE: Angler Motel continues welcoming visitors to the Hot Springs and Lake Ouachita area. Recent offerings have included individually deeded rooms, adding another ownership arrangement to the property's history. The familiar marquee remains out front, preserving a distinctive piece of Royal's roadside scenery. 11-26

Newfound Lodge (Rem.)
Cherokee, NC
Photo courtesy Kevin Powers

Looking to stay in a nice motel/lodge with a classic neon sign? Then look no further than the Newfound Lodge of Cherokee, NC. The Newfound Lodge is named after nearby Newfound Gap where Hwy 441 crosses the Smokey Mountains between Cherokee and Gatlinburg, TN. Many thanks to Kevin Powers for info.

The lodge appeared in mid-century postcard advertising, promoting its mountain setting, riverside location, and private bathrooms. Those features made a practical combination for visitors exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The roadside sign added an individual identity to the accommodations, distinguishing the lodge along Cherokee's busy tourist route.

UPDATE: The property remains open as Newfound Lodge on the River. Its vintage neon marquee was replaced with modern signage years ago, changing the roadside appearance while retaining the familiar name. The lodge continues offering accommodations near the river and the approach to the national park. 11-26

Best Motel
Hot Springs, AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

The diver above Best Motel gave motorists on Ouachita Avenue an eye-catching introduction to this Hot Springs property. Like other diving figures used in motel advertising, it suggested recreation and a refreshing stop without requiring travelers to read much of the marquee.

The property opened in 1933 as Best Motor Court, placing its beginnings before the postwar motel boom. The diving-woman display came later, adding another layer to its roadside identity. Subsequent restoration returned attention to the earlier court and its original architectural character.

UPDATE: The restored property operates as Best Court. In 2018, the diver marquee was replaced with a new sign modeled on the original 1930s display. The removed sign was retained in storage, leaving the possibility of another future for the familiar figure while the motor court continues welcoming guests. 11-26

Talbotton Motel (Closed)
Talbotton, GA
Photo courtesy Kevin Powers

“Air Conditioned” and “TV” once gave the Talbotton Motel sign two useful selling points along U.S. 80. Those words now recall a period when motel owners prominently advertised conveniences that travelers might not find at every overnight stop.

The modest property belonged to the independent accommodations serving motorists across west Georgia. Its roadside marquee helped identify the entrance and distinguish the motel from neighboring businesses. The display's survival preserved the name long after the rooms stopped serving their original overnight trade.

UPDATE: Talbotton Motel has been converted into apartments. The old marquee remains beside U.S. 80, but its panels are now blank, removing the lettering that once announced the business and its amenities. The sign's shape survives as the most visible reminder of the property's earlier lodging use. 11-26

Lorraine Motel
Memphis, TN
Photo courtesy Bob Jagendorf

The turquoise Lorraine Motel sign marks a place whose significance reaches far beyond roadside architecture. The familiar courtyard and second-floor balcony form part of the National Civil Rights Museum, preserving the setting where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

The property began as a hotel in the 1920s. Walter Bailey purchased it in 1945 and renamed it for his wife, Loree, and the song “Sweet Lorraine.” It became an important accommodation for Black travelers during segregation, including musicians visiting Memphis. Bailey expanded the property in 1955, adding the two-story wing associated with Room 306.

UPDATE: The Lorraine remains preserved within the National Civil Rights Museum. The balcony outside Room 306 and the landmark marquee retain the site's recognizable appearance while the museum interprets the broader struggle for civil rights. King had come to Memphis to support the city's striking sanitation workers. 11-26

Eastgate Motel (Demolished)
Chattanooga, TN
Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack

The East Gate Motel occupies a bustling block along Brainerd Road in Chattanooga, TN. It is about five miles outside the downtown area. Across the street is Sir Goony's Fun Center which offers bumper boats, laser tag, go-karts and paint ball. The real draw however is its many folksy characters that serve as obstacles on two 18-hole miniature golf courses. Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info.

Across the street, Sir Goony's Family Fun Center supplied another recognizable roadside attraction. Its miniature golf courses featured oversized characters and obstacles, adding a playful setting near the motel. The pairing placed a practical overnight business opposite the kind of imaginative roadside entertainment associated with family automobile trips.

UPDATE: Eastgate Motel has been demolished, and its marquee was removed during redevelopment. The property no longer serves overnight guests, leaving earlier views to document its place along Brainerd Road. Another independent lodging name has disappeared from this long-established approach to Chattanooga. 11-26