Orlando Motel (Closed)
Truxton, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Cruising through tiny Truxton, it is hard to miss the weathered sign for the Orlando Motel standing beside old Route 66. The motel was built during the mid-1960s by Jerome and Mary Orlando, who had moved west from Dearborn, Michigan. 09-21

The Orlando family operated the motel until around the early 1980s. By then, Interstate 40 had bypassed Truxton and taken much of the highway traffic along with it. The guest rooms eventually closed, while the former office and lobby were converted into a private residence.

The old sign still stands, although it has been altered over the years. The original supports once extended above the sign, and the Orlando lettering was larger than what remains today. Vintage trucks and other roadside relics can also be spotted around the property.

UPDATE: The Orlando Motel remains closed. Portions of the property are used as a private residence and storage area, while the altered roadside sign continues to stand along Route 66. 09-26

Red Rose Inn (Closed)
Flagstaff, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The roadside sign for the Red Rose Inn once added a splash of color to Flagstaff’s old motel row. Complete with a rose graphic and a readerboard advertising low room rates, it stood just down Route 66 from the Western Hills Motel. 09-21

The motel originally opened in 1956 as the New Skyline Motel. Its 22 or 23 rooms were promoted to travelers as the “Eastern Gateway to the Grand Canyon,” complete with tiled showers, carpeting, and views of the San Francisco Peaks.

The property later became the Red Rose Inn before changing names again around 2014. Although the rose sign disappeared, the original motel buildings were never demolished.

UPDATE: The former Red Rose Inn remains open as the Travelers Inn at 1526 E. Route 66. The vintage sign has been replaced with modern Travelers Inn branding. 09-26

Suncrest Motel (Closed)
Winslow, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The old Suncrest Motel still had the look of an early roadside court along Route 66 in Winslow. Its weathered sign remained near the corner while the low motel buildings wrapped around an open courtyard behind it. The rooms were no longer serving highway travelers, but the original layout was still easy to recognize. 09-21

The property began as the El Hopi Motel during the mid-1930s and is believed to have been the first motel operated by the Whiting Brothers. Four more units were added in 1938, and the motel later became a Whiting Brothers Motor Hotel with an adjoining service station. The company eventually operated a familiar chain of motels and gas stations across the Southwest.

After the Whiting Brothers years, the property became the Suncrest Motel. It later offered long-term rentals before the old motel and service station buildings were adapted for automotive businesses, including High Chaparral Truck Repair and Jay’s Garage.

UPDATE: The Suncrest no longer operates as a motel. Its roadside sign has been removed, but portions of the old El Hopi and Whiting Brothers complex remain standing as an automotive garage. 09-26

Old Motor Court (Gone)
McLean, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Here's an old Motor Court in McLean, TX.

This weathered old motor court along Route 66 in McLean was once known as Watt Court, or Watt’s Court. By the time this view was captured, the little row of rooms was crumbling back into the Texas Panhandle, and the name had nearly disappeared with it. A rusty signpost still carried a small panel where the word “Court” could barely be made out. 09-21

Watt Court was built around 1930, making it one of McLean’s earliest roadside lodging stops. It had just six guest rooms and four individual drive-in garages. Back when automobiles were less dependable and Texas weather could turn nasty, giving the traveler and the car separate places to sleep was a pretty good selling point.

The small buildings were constructed with adobe-style blocks covered in light stucco. Once the roofs failed, years of wind and rain quickly took their toll. The property was also known as the Watt Service Station and Motel, suggesting that early motorists could stop for gasoline, repairs and a room all in one place.

UPDATE: Watt Court has been completely demolished, and its last remaining signpost has also been removed. The empty site at First and McCarty streets sits across from the old Texas Motel and Restaurant. 09-26