Fifth Avenue Motel (Gone)
Yuma, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Fifth Avenue Motel stood just off Yuma’s main highway strip with a classic mid-century letter panel running across the front. Large letters advertised “MOTEL,” “KITCHENETTE,” and “REFRIGERATED,” making sure travelers knew exactly what they would find inside. 06-23
The motel was only a block from 4th Avenue and old U.S. Route 80, where a steady stream of motorists once passed through Yuma. Kitchenettes made the rooms useful for longer stays, while refrigerated air conditioning was an especially important selling point in the desert heat.
Rather than relying on a towering pole sign, the Fifth Avenue used the building itself as its advertisement. The lettering gave an otherwise simple low-rise motel a fine roadside appearance and was probably even more noticeable when freshly painted.
Fifth Avenue Motel (Gone)
Yuma, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The motel eventually stopped accepting overnight travelers and was converted to residential apartments. During the transition, the old lettering and roadside panels were completely removed.
UPDATE: The Fifth Avenue Motel is closed, but its building survives in residential use. Painted almost entirely white and stripped of its vintage lettering, the former motel is still recognizable by its low roadside shape but has lost most of its original character. 08-26
Sagebrush Inn
Tombstone, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Sagebrush Inn sits on a quiet side street a short distance from Tombstone’s busy historic district. Built in January 1947, it holds the title of the town’s oldest surviving motel. 06-23
The little motor court is only about three blocks from Allen Street and the O.K. Corral, making it easy to leave the car behind and explore Tombstone on foot. Its hillside location also provides open views toward the Dragoon Mountains.
The Sagebrush opened during the years when Hollywood was regularly using the rugged country around Cochise County for Western movies. Actors and film crews needed places to stay, and this small motel soon developed a surprisingly impressive guest list.
John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Glenn Ford, and Hugh O’Brian are all said to have stayed at the Sagebrush over the years. A marker on the John Wayne Room proudly announces that the Duke once slept there. In Tombstone, even the motel doors come with a little Western history.
Sagebrush Inn
Tombstone, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The rooms are individually named and decorated for figures from the Old West and Hollywood. Rustic details give the place a suitable Tombstone atmosphere without turning the entire motel into a stage set.
UPDATE: The Sagebrush Inn received a complete renovation in 2022, updating the rooms and amenities while retaining its simple 1940s motor-court appearance. The motel remains open, and its restored entry sign continues to welcome travelers just a short walk from Tombstone’s main street. 08-26
Trailriders Inn
Tombstone, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Trail Riders Inn and its old roadside sign can be found close to the historic center of Tombstone. The wood-framed marquee advertises the motel and mini RV park, providing a suitably Western welcome to town. 06-23
The property appears to date from the 1950s and follows the familiar small motor-court plan. Its rooms sit close to the drive, allowing guests to park nearby and head into town without much fuss.
Allen Street, the O.K. Corral, and the Bird Cage Theatre are all within a short walk. That makes the Trail Riders a convenient base for exploring Tombstone without having to keep moving the car between historic attractions.
The property has expanded beyond its original motel rooms over the years. A mini RV park, restored vintage Airstream trailers, an outdoor kitchen, barbecue area, breakfast bar, and seasonal swimming pool have all been added.
UPDATE: The Trail Riders Inn remains open as an independent motel, RV park, and glamping property. Its maintained roadside sign still stands on Seventh Street, continuing to point modern trail riders toward a place for the night. 08-26
Silver Saddle Motel (Closed)
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Silver Saddle Motel was another of the little motor courts that once dotted Tucson’s older highway neighborhoods. Its simple roadside sign skipped the fancy arrows and mascots, plainly advertising “Family Units” and “Kitchens” to passing travelers. 06-23
Those family units and kitchens made the motel useful for more than a quick overnight stop. Vacationing families, seasonal visitors, and workers staying in Tucson for a while could settle into rooms equipped for longer visits.
The Silver Saddle followed a classic Southwestern motor-court layout, with low single-story buildings arranged around open spaces and covered parking. Guests could pull in and park close to their rooms, protected from at least some of the Arizona sun.
After the motel closed, its rooms were converted into studio and one-bedroom apartments. The old buildings, carports, and some vintage interior details were retained rather than clearing the property for a larger modern complex.
UPDATE: The former Silver Saddle Motel remains in residential use as the Silver Saddle Apartments. Its original “Family Units” and “Kitchens” sign was removed during the transition. 08-26
Tombstone Boarding House
Tombstone, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Tombstone Boarding House Inn, once known as the Barrows Boarding House, looks right at home among the old buildings of Tombstone. The thick adobe structure dates back to 1880, when it was built by the manager of the town’s first bank. 06-23
The boarding house was enlarged during the 1930s and eventually became a small bed-and-breakfast inn. Its five rooms carry suitably Western names, including the Telegraph Room, Sheriff’s Room, Jail Room, and Green Room.
As might be expected in Tombstone, the place comes with a collection of ghost stories. Guests have reported unexplained sounds, shadowy figures, and other strange activity in several rooms, particularly the Green Room and Telegraph Room. The best-known story involves Billy Clanton, who was mortally wounded during the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881. Local legend claims that he died in the boarding house’s White Room and that his ghost occasionally returns.
Historical records tell a different story. Clanton was reportedly carried to a private home near Third and Fremont streets, where he died a short time later. That makes the White Room tale more Tombstone folklore than documented history, although ghost stories have never been known to worry much about paperwork.
UPDATE: The Tombstone Boarding House remains open as a five-room historic inn. Its adobe walls, Western-style porch sign, and assortment of ghost stories continue to welcome guests only a short walk from the center of town. 08-26
Boothills Apartments (Closed)
Tombstone, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Boothill Apartments had just the right amount of weathered Tombstone atmosphere. A collection of rusty automobiles sat around the property, looking as though they had been parked there after one final desert drive. 06-23
The property appears to have begun as a small postwar auto court before becoming long-term apartments.
UPDATE: The former Boothill Apartments remain in residential use as the Boothill Mobile Home Retreat. Its weathered sign and some of its old roadside character survive. 08-26
Fifth Avenue Motel (Gone)
Fifth Avenue Motel (Gone)
Sagebrush Inn
Sagebrush Inn
Trailriders Inn
Silver Saddle Motel (Closed)
Tombstone Boarding House
Boothills Apartments (Closed)
