99 Motel | Bakersfield Inn

El Morocco Motel (Sign gone)
Bakersfield, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

The El Morocco Motel in Bakersfield featured a marquee that had been standing along the road for quite a few decades. Check out the prominent “Color TV” panel, a reminder of when television in the room was modern enough to deserve some prime space on the sign.

Located along the old Highway 99 route, the El Morocco originally offered 30 rooms near the Golden State Lanes bowling alley. Vintage postcards also advertised a dining room and cocktail lounge, giving travelers a place to eat and unwind without leaving the property. A little dinner, a little television, and perhaps a few frames of bowling nearby.

UPDATE: The eye catching sign for the El Morocco Motel was removed in recent years in favor of a rather boring sign. 02-13

UPDATE: The El Morocco Motel remains open, but its original neon sign was removed around 2012. A plain backlit plastic sign now sits on the old pole, offering much less roadside excitement than its predecessor. 09-26

Sierra Motel
Selma, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out the sign for the Sierra Motel, another old roadside stop in Selma. Standing along Whitson Street, the marquee appears to have been around for quite some time. Its simple shape and lettering have watched plenty of traffic pass along the old Highway 99 route.

The motel was operating by 1951 under owner C.L. Bingham. Early advertising described it as “New, Modern, Air Conditioned,” three reassuring things for travelers crossing the Central Valley. With only 11 rooms, the Sierra was a much smaller operation than some of the large motor courts found farther up the highway.

UPDATE: The Sierra Motel remains open at Whitson and Branch streets, and its vintage roadside marquee still stands outside. 09-26

Kern Motel (Gone)
McFarland, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Check out the roadside marquee for the Kern Motel in McFarland, CA. The old sign stood along the Highway 99 corridor, advertising a small independent stop for travelers passing through Kern County.

The motel buildings date to around 1948, when automobile travel was booming through the Central Valley. One travel diary from 1969 recorded a room here costing just $6 a night. Not too bad for getting off the highway and finding a bed before another day of driving.

This Kern Motel should not be confused with the Kern Motor Inn down in Bakersfield. The names may be nearly identical, but they were two separate roadside stops.

UPDATE: The Kern Motel has closed, and its old marquee has been removed. The motel buildings remain on the property but have transitioned out of overnight lodging use. 09-26

Downtowner Inn (Gone)
Bakersfield, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Downtowner Inn in Bakersfield is a flashback to the old roadside motels that were once common near city centers. Located at 13th Street and Chester Avenue, it offered motorists the convenience of a motel without sending them far from downtown.

Opened in 1964, the Downtowner had 52 rooms arranged around a heated swimming pool. Other comforts included direct-dial telephones, underground covered parking, and evening snack-tray service. Apparently guests could settle in for the night without even making another trip out for snacks.

UPDATE: The Downtowner Inn has closed, and its original mid-century marquee is gone. The motel's future remains uncertain following its years under the GuestHouse and Vagabond Inn names. 09-26

Virginia Lodge
Tulare, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Virginia Lodge in Tulare still has its old sign facing the roadway, hoping to attract the occasional wayward motorist. Standing along South K Street, the marquee points back to the days when Highway 99 traffic rolled directly through the middle of town.

Also known as the Virginia Motor Lsodge, the property has been part of this stretch of Tulare for many decades. Its rooms follow the familiar roadside layout, offering motorists a place to pull in and spend the night before continuing through the Central Valley.

The freeway eventually carried most travelers around town, but the lodge and its street-facing sign stayed behind on the former route. The sign may not be as flashy as some of its old Highway 99 neighbors, though it still lets everyone know what once waited beyond the driveway.

UPDATE: The Virginia Lodge buildings remain in use, primarily as apartments and longer-term rentals rather than traditional overnight lodging. Its old roadside marquee continues to stand along South K Street. 09-26

Highland Lodge
Bakersfield, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

This marquee stands tall beside the Highland Lodge in Bakersfield, CA. The old sign rises over South Union Avenue, still announcing a place that once welcomed travelers heading through the southern end of the Central Valley.

Built around 1948, the Highland Lodge sat near the junction of U.S. Highways 99 and 399, about six miles south of Bakersfield in those days. Motorists could find more than a room here. Vintage postcards advertised a restaurant, cocktail bar, meeting rooms, air conditioning, ceramic tubs, and a heated swimming pool.

The lodge lounge also hosted local musicians, including country and steel guitar performers. A room, a swim, dinner, cocktails, and live music made this quite a stop before tackling the Grapevine.

UPDATE: The Highland Lodge buildings remain along South Union Avenue, though the property now serves largely as longer-term housing rather than a traditional highway motel. Its tall roadside marquee also survives. 09-26