Mesa Motel (Gone)
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The tall sign for the Mesa Motel, also known as Motel Mesa, once stood above Tucson’s old Benson Highway. It was another familiar sight along the former U.S. Route 80 corridor, where motels competed for travelers heading through southern Arizona. 06-23
The opening of Interstate 10 in 1969 pulled most cross-country traffic away from Benson Highway. A photograph taken in 1972 already showed Motel Mesa struggling along the newly bypassed roadside strip.
The motel eventually closed and was sold with several neighboring properties, including the Owl Lodge, Stagecoach Inn, and Wagon Wheel Inn. Their old rooms were converted into a collection of small efficiency apartments.
The Mesa and Wagon Wheel properties are often confused because they stood close together and were redeveloped through the same housing project. The Mesa Motel buildings were not actually demolished, although their old motel appearance was heavily altered.
UPDATE: The former Mesa Motel survives as efficiency housing rather than overnight lodging. Its towering roadside sign was removed, and the neighboring Wagon Wheel name has sometimes been incorrectly applied to the property. 08-26
Palms Trailer Court (Rem.)
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Palms Trailer Court was one of the many trailer parks that once lined Tucson’s Benson Highway. Its old roadside sign greeted residents and travelers along what was then U.S. Route 80. 06-23
Established around 1950, the Palms grew during the postwar expansion of mobile-home parks and roadside businesses. Its roughly 52 spaces were arranged in a compact layout stretching back from the highway.
Benson Highway once carried cross-country travelers through southern Tucson, passing motels, trailer courts, gas stations, and restaurants along the way. Interstate 10 later replaced or bypassed much of the old route, although a surviving segment can still be followed east of town.
UPDATE: The Palms remains open as a residential mobile-home community and has received improvements such as repaved interior roads. Its original mid-century roadside sign was removed, but the trailer court itself continues operating along the old highway. 08-26
Corcovado Motel (Demolished)
Yuma, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Bright yellow seems like an appropriate color for a motel sign sitting beneath the hot Yuma sun. The Corcovado Motelsign was hard to miss along South 4th Avenue, especially with its tall shape, bold lettering, and colorful panels facing the old highway. 06-23
The motel originally opened in 1957 as the Desert Gem Motel. A postcard from those early years shows a much different roadside oasis, complete with sheltered parking, television, refrigerated air, and a heated swimming pool.
In 1973, the Desert Gem became the Corcovado Motel. The new name brought the familiar yellow sign that remained along the highway for years. Old directories occasionally misspelled the name as “Corcovaco,” which may explain some of the confusion surrounding the property.
Desert Gem Motel
Yuma, AZ
Postcard image courtesy Chet Wilson
South 4th Avenue was once part of U.S. Highway 80, carrying travelers through Yuma between Texas and San Diego. A heated pool and good refrigeration must have sounded especially inviting after a long drive across the desert.
Here is a postcard of the Desert Gem Motel from back in the day prior to it becoming the Corcovado Motel.
UPDATE: The Corcovado Motel is gone, but portions of its former buildings were remodeled rather than completely demolished. The property is now Desert Sun Plaza, a small commercial center. Its bright yellow motel sign was removed and replaced with a modern plaza directory. 08-26
Vacant Motel sheds
Globe, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Check out these vacant motel sheds found along the roadside in Globe, Arizona. The weathered little buildings look like they may have once provided storage or utility space for an old motel property.
There is not much information left behind to tell their story, but the faded walls and simple construction fit right in with the many roadside remnants still scattered around Globe. This one offers this as a jail cell. Interesting.
Motel building
Globe, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Here is an old motel building found along the roadside in Globe, Arizona. Its simple shape and weathered exterior look like something left behind from the days when small motor courts served travelers passing through town.
The original motel name and history are unknown, but the building remains another interesting roadside remnant from Globe’s highway past. Not sure if this motel building is still around. Given it's been a quarter century since this photo was taken, likelihood is low.
Mesa Motel (Gone)
Palms Trailer Court (Rem.)
Corcovado Motel (Demolished)
Vacant Motel sheds
Motel building
