| . |
| Motels,
Hotels & Resorts |
|
Buy
Your Own Motel! The Boots Motel of Carthage, MO,
is for sale.
Built in the 1920s along Route 66, this roadside motel is now used
for weekly rentals but retains its original historic integrity. There
is a $50,000 grant available for preservation. See
more details here. |
Image courtesy
M-M Stratton.
Moved to Another Location! |
La
Concha (Paul R. Williams, 1961, sign by  YESCO)
2955 Las Vegas Blvd South, Nevada. The two-story motel structure and
pool have been demolished, but the exquisite front cast concrete conch
shell lobby still stand – apparently due to it being leased by a business.
The Las Vegas-based Neon
Museum is saving the sign but what will become of this building?
If you can help or have ideas, contact the Los
Angeles Conservancy Modern Committee or Preserve
Nevada. |
Image courtesy
Villager Lodge
Demolished! |
Snowflake
Motel, St. Joseph, Michigan, by William Wesley Peters of Taliesen
West, 1961-62. Now a Villager
Lodge ("Extended Stay Living"). This motel is listed
on the National Register of Historic Places. The current owners
wants to restore the property, but is finding little public or commercial
support for the venture. The motel site explains: "The hotel
is star-shaped, encompassing six wings encircled by a drive that
provides parking and access to every room. To emphasize the shape,
there is an unusual saw tooth roof. Sliding glass partitions offer
views of the spacious landscaped interior courtyard and the surrounding
area."
Links:
"Fallen Snowflake: William Wesley Peters' Snowflake Motel"
on JetSet
Modern
"The
Snow Flake Motel: St. Joseph Michigan" at Believer
Magazine |
| The
"First" Motel: The plaque on the building reads,
"Motel Inn. This is the site of the world's original and first motel.
Construction started in 1925 at a cost of $80,000. The word 'motel'
was first thought of here by architect Arthur Heinemen. Dedicated
October 22, 1988 by Native Sons of Golden West, Frank Compani, Grand
President And San Luis Obispo Parlor No. 290" |
 |
The
Gobbler. Never heard of this mid-century classic motel and
supper club off I-94 in Wisconsin? Well, check out this amusing "postmodern
commentary on commercial culture" composed by Minneapolis humorist/satirist
James Lileks, columnist at the Star Tribune. |
HoJo's at Asbury
Park |
Asbury
Park, New Jersey. Since
its beginnings in the 1870s, Asbury Park has changed considerably.
From the turn of the century to the 1950s, Asbury Park was the leading
seaside resort on the northern New Jersey coast, surpassed statewide
only by Atlantic City, The Boardwalk, fully developed by the late
1920s, is the most tangible remains of this period. The
Convention Hall and the Casino, anchors of the Boardwalk, include
a theater, two exhibition halls, two arcades through which the Boardwalk
passes, and numerous shops. The 1920s-era Convention Hall and the
Casino are significant examples of civic oceanfront planning. |
| |
Treasure
Island, Florida
The
city of Treasure Island,  Florida,
is on the Gulf of Mexico, part of the Gulf Beaches near St. Petersburg.
This city, an island just a few miles long, has remarkably preserved
a dozen '50s "Space Age" Mid-Century Modern style structures, including
unique motels and signs, and three Art Moderne causeway bridges
that have already been determined to be eligible on the National
Register of Historic Places. By capitalizing on its unique resources,
Treasure Island would be one of the country's most hip vacation
spots, and these motels would command high rates by retro-seeking,
affluent, jet-set tourists. |
| Weeki
Wachee, FL: Roadside
resort with underwater theater and famous swimming mermaids opened
in 1947.
see website "Riding the crest of a national media blitz,
the mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs have devised a plan to raise
money for their ailing tourist attraction and put pressure on their
landlord who may be considering putting them out of business. Former
mermaid Robyn Anderson, who is now both general manager of the tourist
attraction and mayor of Weeki Wachee, announced the "Save Our Tails"
campaign during an appearance Wednesday morning on NBC's Today show.
More than simply raising money, the Save Our Tails campaign is designed
to encourage people to lobby Swiftmud for the preservation of the
tourist attraction and the mermaid shows." From the St.
Petersburg (Florida) Times. |
| Pt.
Jervis, New York From
the postwar era until the mid 70's, these resorts were popular hot
spots with people from the NYC metro area, but most have been in decline
and are either being converted into condos, or sold to outside interests.
Besides architectural significance these resorts served as "springboards"
for entertainers and comedians such as Jerry Lewis, Buddy Hackett,
Joey Bishop, and Milton Berle. [courtesy L.M.B] |
| Mustang
Ranch, Nevada.
Built 1975. Declared ineligible for the National Register of Historic
Places, to be auctioned off on Ebay or demolished by the Bureau of
Land Management. A group of former employees is trying to save this
building (the first legal brothel in Nevada), move it, and re-establish
it as a museum highlighting women's history in Nevada. "I want to
save it to prove to the closed mind that this is the oldest profession
and it was the first house that made it respectful," said ex-madame
Sharnel Silvey. More
information here. |
|
Wildwood,
NJ
Preserving
the Recent Past: The Wildwoods, April 22 and 23, 2006. Sponsored
by Drew University Continuing Education & Summer Programs. More
information here. "Drew University invites you to
take part in a retro weekend in Wildwood filled with 20th century
preservation education. This two-day workshop (led by members of
the State Historic Preservation Office, National Trust for Historic
Preservation and the DooWop Preservation League of Wildwood) introduces
participants to the recent past resource – what it is, what's significant,
how integrity is assessed and how we decide what to preserve."
Doo
Wop Preservation League. The
DWPL educational mission is to foster awareness and appreciation
of the popular culture and imagery of the 1950's and 1960's and
to promote the preservation of the largest collection of Doo Wop
architecture found in the United States.
Doo Wop
by the Sea. Architects and preservationists have turned a gaudy
strip of New Jersey shore into a monument to mid-century architecture.
But can they keep the bulldozers at bay? Smithsonian
Magazine online, June 2003.
Preservation
New Jersey, Doo Wop Historic Motel District listed on the
10 Most Endangered Historic Sites, 2005
List of Wildwood
Crest motels, with photographs and links;
List of Wildwood
motels, with photographs and links. Brought to you by the Cape
May Times. |
| Online
Vintage Motel Postcard Collections |
American
Motels, organized
by state.
Postcard
History of Motels. This page offers a history of motels as viewed
through a collection of postcards, for this history, the authors
draw from primary sources where available and from two excellent
books: The Motel in America by Jakle, Sculle, and Rogers
and Home Away from Home by Margolies. |
| Links:
Photographs
courtesy member Adriene Biondo.
Chief Hotel Court.
Golden Hills
Motel.
Pioneer Lodge.
|
Motels
& Resorts:
John's
Modern Cabins. John's
Modern Cabins began as part of a somewhat seedy juke joint known
as Bill and Bess's Place. Six tiny log cabins flanked a shotgun-shack
dance hall that in the 1930s was home to music, merriment. Now the
cabins may be torn down soon. This site documents, encourages, and
coordinates preservation efforts.
Del
Parker's Parkerosa: Tourist Cabins,
Trailer Park and Wigwam Accommodations.
Fan
site for the loyal--you never knew there were so many wigwams on
the roadside. Helpful location map.
Agua
Caliente, Tijuana, Mexico. A Spanish Colonial-revival resort
designed by 19-year old architect, and San Diego native, Wayne McAllister.
Be sure to check out the 150-foot tall smokestack disguised as a
Moroccan minaret! By Chris Nichols, our RPPN Southern California
rep. and dedicated preservation activist.
Miami
Design Preservation League
Neon
Motels:
Motels
of the Southwest. "This website is dedicated to the celebration
of the classic American neon motel. On this site you will find several
resources for vintage neon motels and signs from the American Southwest."
By Douglas Towne.
Roadside:
RoadsideAmerica.com
Your on-line guide to offbeat tourist attractions.
John's
Modern Cabins News. A Chronicle of Historic Preservation
Efforts on Route 66, "The Main Street of America." This web site
was begun to spread news about an endangered tourist court called
John's Modern Cabins, the ruins of which are located alongside Interstate
44 in Newburg, Missouri. I have since expanded the site in an attempt
to document and encourage preservation efforts all along Historic
Route 66. If you have any news, opinions, photos, link suggestions,
or any useful information to share, please contact editor Carolyn
Hasenfratz.
Motel
Americana: Exploring Classic Roadside Architecture, includes
Postcard
History of Motels.
Motelguide.com
A great place to find listings (national, by city/state) for
old fashioned "mom and pop-owned" roadside motels. |
| &c.,
&c. |
|
| |
Caliente
Tropics Resort in Palm Springs, California.
Built in 1963 and opened in 1964, by Ken Kimes, Sr., the tropics was
number 38 out of 45 motels Kimes developed in the U.S. Re-opened in
March 2001 after an extensive $2.2 million renovation and is one of
the last and greatest examples of the classic Polynesian-styled motor
hotels of the 60s. Our Polynesian and Tiki Playground now features
up-scale, boutique-styled guestrooms with custom furnishings. Our
exterior has been made over to celebrate the original mid-century
look when the resort opened in 1964 - A True Palm Springs Icon. Complete
website.
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