La Siesta Motel (Demolished)
Wickenburg, Arizona Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey
Here's another grand old Southwestern sign in the shape of a cactus.
The La Siesta Motel sports a friendly looking marquee that appears
to wave a hello. Or else my eyes are starting to go...
The motel opened during the late 1940s along Wickenburg Way, where U.S. Routes 60 and 89 met the road toward Las Vegas. Its ranch-style rooms and trailer court offered a convenient desert stop for travelers heading between Phoenix, California, and Nevada.
The waving cactus was only part of the fun. The original sign also featured a sleeping figure tucked beneath an oversized sombrero, adding to the La Siesta theme. That lower portion changed over the years, but the big friendly cactus remained the motel’s familiar roadside landmark.
The La Siesta lasted for more than half a century before the property was sold for redevelopment. Around 2001, the motel rooms were demolished and replaced with a modern shopping center and parking lot.
UPDATE: The La Siesta Motel was demolished in late 2000 or early 2001. A shopping complex took the place of the motel around 2006 and is reusing the sign. 09-10
UPDATE: Although the La Siesta Motel is gone, its wonderful cactus sign was saved. The marquee was restored, reinforced, and reinstalled in a landscaped median at the shopping center, where the old saguaro continues waving to passing motorists without a motel behind it. 08-26
Ghost Ranch Lodge (Closed)
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The neon cow skull at the Ghost Ranch Lodge was one of the most recognizable sights along Tucson’s Miracle Mile. Glowing above the motel name and a large “Restaurant” panel, it gave the old roadside complex a look that was unmistakably Southwestern.
The Ghost Ranch Lodge was built in 1941, with its original Spanish Revival and Modernist buildings designed by Tucson architect Josias Joesler. Owners Arthur and Phoebe Pack later helped establish the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, giving the motel an interesting connection to Tucson’s larger desert story.
The cow skull emblem came from Georgia O’Keeffe, who knew Arthur Pack from the original Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. She reportedly created the design as a wedding gift, and it was later adapted for the Tucson lodge’s famous neon sign in 1952. The lower “Restaurant” section was added after 1958.
The first time I stood in front of the Ghost Ranch Lodge, I was not looking for architecture or neon. I was simply trying to find a room for the night. It was my first visit to Tucson, sometime after midnight, and nearly every motel in town appeared to be full because of a Jehovah’s Witness convention.
Ghost Ranch Lodge
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Tucson seemed dark and a little seedy that night, but I had only just arrived and did not know the city yet. When I stopped at the Ghost Ranch, the office door was locked. A man inside looked at me through the glass and asked me to hold up my credit card so he could see it through the door.
At that point, I decided to walk away.
It was an unusual introduction to the Ghost Ranch Lodge and Tucson. The whole scene had a strange late-night atmosphere, with the locked office, the dark motel grounds, and that glowing cow skull watching over Miracle Mile. Interesting vibe for sure.
Somehow, that experience did not keep me away. It did just the opposite. The Ghost Ranch Lodge and Tucson became one of my favorite roadside stops in the country. Maybe it was the mystery of arriving after midnight, or maybe it was realizing later just how much roadside history was sitting there in the dark.
The lodge closed to travelers in 2005 and eventually suffered from vacancy, deterioration, and fires. Rather than demolishing the entire property, developers completed a major restoration in 2010. Thirty original Joesler units were preserved, compatible new buildings were added, and the former motel became affordable senior housing.
Ghost Ranch Lodge
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
UPDATE: The Ghost Ranch Lodge closed down in 2005 to become senior housing. Not sure of the fate of the grand neon sign. 03-06
UPDATE: November 29, 2008 saw the landmark Ghost Ranch Lodge catch fire, burning two buildings and partially burning the restaurant and lounge. Word is the fire may have been intentionally set and is being investigated by Tucson fire investigators and police. According to the Arizona Daily Star, the Ghost Ranch Lodge had been closed since 2005 after having been in business for over 60 years. After being sold to a new owner 2007, plans to convert the old motel to low-cost elder housing fell through earlier this year. 12-08
UPDATE: After months of renovation and construction, The Ghost Ranch Lodge has been transformed into a new 112 room low income, senior apartment complex. Tenants will start moving into this iconic Tucson landmark on August 1. The project received $20 million dollars of funding from various government agencies. 07-10
UPDATE: The Ghost Ranch Lodge now operates as a 112-unit senior apartment community and no longer offers rooms to passing travelers. Its historic buildings, cactus garden, and Georgia O’Keeffe-inspired neon sign were restored as part of the project. The restoration received a Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. That glowing cow skull still watches over Miracle Mile, looking much better than it did on that strange first night in Tucson. 08-26
Arizona Sunset
Willcox, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Arizona Sunset Motel in Willcox certainly looked like a former member of the Imperial 400 chain. Its distinctive butterfly-roof office and familiar roadside layout were strong clues to the property’s original identity.
Imperial 400 motels began appearing across the country during the late 1950s and 1960s. Their sharp rooflines and standardized designs gave motorists something recognizable to look for while traveling unfamiliar highways. The Willcox location served travelers following old U.S. Route 80 through southeastern Arizona.
After leaving the chain, the motel became the independent Arizona Sunset. It went through a rough period and was temporarily closed behind chain-link fencing, making the future of the old Imperial 400 property look uncertain.
Fortunately, the motel escaped demolition. Its 28 rooms and suites were renovated with updated interiors, kitchenettes, and modern climate controls. The property reopened as the Arizona Sunset Inn & Suites, serving highway travelers and visitors exploring the Willcox wine region.
UPDATE: The Arizona Sunset Inn & Suites remains open and has earned a fine reputation for its renovated rooms and made-to-order breakfasts. The roadside sign has been reworked with modern panels, but the surviving butterfly-roof office still gives away the motel’s Imperial 400 beginnings. 08-26
Balboa Motel (Closed)
AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Balboa Motel had one of the more unusual roadside marquees found along the old highway. A large hole was cut into the peak, making the entire sign look as though it could be hung from a giant piece of string.
The opening may have helped reduce wind pressure on the heavy metal sign, a useful feature during New Mexico’s desert gusts. Whatever its intended purpose, it gave the Balboa marquee a shape that was hard to forget.
The motel stood along West Pine Street in Deming, where U.S. Routes 70 and 80 once carried travelers through southern New Mexico. Old postcards advertised spacious rooms, free television, and “New AAA Refrigeration,” all welcome comforts after a long desert drive. The Balboa later expanded into a 22-unit motel with an adjoining restaurant. After years of decline, the property closed and remained vacant while the buildings deteriorated.
UPDATE: In May 2026, the City of Deming announced plans to demolish the asbestos-contaminated motel buildings and temporarily convert the property into a food-truck and vendor plaza. The unusual marquee was still standing, but its preservation had not been confirmed. Despite its original “AZ” caption, the Balboa Motel was located in Deming, New Mexico. 08-26
Apache Motel (Closed)
Prescott, AZ Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey
The Apache Lodge, originally identified here as the Apache Motel, features a fine Southwestern facade along East Gurley Street in Prescott. Its stucco walls, bright turquoise trim, and giant cactus sign give the property plenty of old Arizona roadside character.
Built during the mid-1940s, the Apache may have been one of Prescott’s earliest true motor courts. It stood at the eastern gateway into town, where highway travelers arriving on Routes 69 and 89 could pull in and park near their rooms.
Apache Motel
Prescott, AZ Photo courtesy Bill Herzog
The real landmark is the towering neon saguaro marquee. Its enormous cactus and stylized lettering made the Apache Lodge difficult to miss and provided a suitably Southwestern welcome to motorists entering Prescott.
After spending time as extended-stay housing, the property entered a major renovation intended to return it to overnight lodging. Plans call for 27 boutique rooms and five specialty suites, mixing vintage road-trip style with modern accommodations.
UPDATE: The Apache Motel in Prescott is still going strong. 12-06
UPDATE: The Apache Lodge remains standing and is undergoing restoration as a boutique hotel, with reopening targeted for winter 2026. Its Santa Fe-style buildings and great neon cactus sign have been saved as part of the project. 08-26
La Siesta Motel (Demolished)
Arizona Sunset
Balboa Motel (Closed)
Apache Motel (Closed)
Apache Motel
