Space Age Lodge (99)
Gila Bend
, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
When you travel to Gila Bend Arizona, a must top is the Best Western Space Age Lodge motel and restaurant. The Space Age Lodge was originally named Stovall's Space Age Lodge when it was built in 1965 by the legendary Al Stovall. Al Stovall was the owner of other Space Age motels including a couple that used to be in Anaheim, CA.
The lobby post fire in 1999
Gila Bend, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Golden Star Motel (Demolished)
Gila Bend
, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Golden Star Motel featured a wonderfully golden-hued roadside marquee topped with a star. The motel was already for sale when this photograph was taken in 1999, making the sign one of the last reminders of its independent days. 11-20
The motel stood along East Pima Street and old U.S. Route 80, where generations of travelers passed through Gila Bend before the interstate highways redirected much of the traffic. Its bright sign was designed to stand out against the surrounding desert, especially when the neon star came on after dark.
After the Golden Star was sold, the property became a Knights Inn. The corporate conversion removed the old motel identity, and the distinctive golden marquee eventually disappeared.
UPDATE: The Knights Inn later closed and the entire motel complex was demolished. The Golden Star sign was also removed, and a vacant dirt lot now occupies the property where both motels once stood. 08-26
Desert Gem Motel (Gone)
Gila Bend
, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Travel down Gila Bend’s main drag just before the turn of the century and several old roadside motels were still waiting along Pima Street, not to mention the famous Space Age Lodge. One of the best was the Desert Gem Motel, with a name and sign that seemed perfectly suited to a little lodging oasis in the Arizona desert. These photographs were taken in 1999.
The marquee was the first thing to catch the eye. A row of colorful pennant-like flags ran along the top, while a wonderfully curving arrow swept across the sign and pointed travelers toward the motel entrance. The faded yellows, reds, blues, and greens already looked several decades old by 1999.
Desert Gem Motel
Casa Grande
, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Those decorations gave the Desert Gem considerably more personality than an ordinary motel sign. The little flags appeared ready to flutter even though they were made of metal, and the arrow took the long way around before finally showing motorists where to turn. It was roadside sign design with a little extra flourish.
The motel dated back to at least the 1950s and stood on the western side of Gila Bend along old U.S. Route 80. Before Interstate 8 pulled most cross-country traffic away, Pima Street carried travelers between Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, and Southern California.
The Desert Gem followed a classic motor-court plan, with single-story rooms and covered carports beside the units. Travelers could pull off the highway and park in the shade directly outside their doors, a particularly thoughtful feature during a Gila Bend summer.
A look at the signs
Gila Bend, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Old postcards presented the motel as a colorful desert oasis. They advertised a central patio, heated swimming pool, television, refrigerated air conditioning, and electric heat. The rooms were described as nicely furnished, although the swimming pool and refrigerated air probably did most of the convincing during the hottest months.
There was something fitting about finding a motel called the Desert Gem in a place like Gila Bend. After miles of dry highway, the bright sign, shaded parking, and blue swimming pool must have looked pretty good to a tired traveler. This was exactly what the old desert motel promised: a cool room, a place for the car, and a little break before getting back on the road.
Entrance
Gila Bend, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
By the time of these photographs, the motel and sign were already showing their age. The Desert Gem continued operating into the early 2000s, but its days were numbered. The property eventually closed and the buildings were cleared, while the empty framework of the old sign reportedly remained standing for a short time after the rooms disappeared.
UPDATE: Unfortunately, the Desert Gem did not last too much longer. The motel is now gone. A Circle K now stands at the former site of the Desert Gem. 11-20
UPDATE: The Desert Gem Motel and its fantastic roadside marquee are gone. A Circle K gas station and convenience store now occupy the property, leaving no visible trace of the motel, its shaded carports, swimming pool, or the colorful row of flags that once welcomed travelers along Pima Street. 08-26
Google Street View Image
The former Desert Gem location
710 W Pima Street, Gila Bend AZ
Golden Star Motel (Demolished)
Desert Gem Motel (Gone)
A look at the signs
Entrance
