Sunset Motel (Closed)
Athens, OH
Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans

The huge boomerang at Sunset Motel in Athens, Ohio, made quite an introduction. Stretching above the entrance, the sharp-edged design guided motorists toward the office while giving the property a Space Age look. You certainly didn’t need a giant starburst with an arrow like this.

The Bhakta family operated Sunset from 1997 until its sale for an emergency shelter project. Its simple rooms served travelers for more than 25 years under their ownership, while the dramatic roadside feature remained the property’s signature.

UPDATE: Sunset has closed as a motel, and conversion to emergency housing is underway. The project’s organizers have expressed interest in preserving the sign and learning more about the motel’s history. That offers some hope for keeping this unusual roadside design in place. 07-26

Basic Inn (Gone)
Indianapolis, IN
Photo courtesy Emily Steele

The sign at Basic Inn in Indianapolis got straight to the point. No grand promises here just a motel name that suggested somewhere to spend the night without much fuss. Its straightforward lettering gave passing motorists along East 38th Street a clear introduction.

The property followed the familiar drive-up motel arrangement, with parking near the rooms. Its opening date remains unclear, although lodging directories later listed the same address and telephone number under both Basic Inn and Hotel Indy. The name changed while the motel buildings stayed put.

UPDATE: Basic Inn no longer operates under its original name. The buildings have continued in lodging use under another identity, but the old roadside sign is gone. The simple name was memorable enough without promising a swimming pool or a presidential suite. 07-26

Crest View Motel
Washington, IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The colorful sign at Crest View Motel in Washington, Illinois, advertised two important comforts: air conditioning and television. Those words once gave motorists good reasons to pull in along U.S. 24. Today, they’re part of what makes an older motel marquee worth inspecting.

A postcard dated 1969 documents the property during its highway-travel years. The single-story motor-court layout kept things convenient, allowing guests to park outside their rooms and unload without much trouble. An exact opening date hasn’t been established.

UPDATE: Crest View continues to be reported as operating, although the original sign’s present condition has not been confirmed. The property retains the familiar arrangement of an independent roadside motel, built around the simple business of giving travelers somewhere to stop for the night. 07-26

Eastwood Motel (Demolished)
Columbia, MO
Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans

The towering sign at Eastwood Motel made sure motorists through Columbia, Missouri, knew rooms were ahead. Rising above the surrounding businesses, it gave this Business Loop 70 property plenty of roadside presence. A sign that tall could do a fair amount of advertising on its own.

The motel served travelers along the former U.S. 40 corridor before Interstate 70 changed the route through Columbia. Drive-up rooms supplied the convenience, while the elevated lettering helped distinguish Eastwood from neighboring lodging stops.

UPDATE: Eastwood Motel was demolished in 2021. By 2024, the tall sign had also been removed, but its “Eastwood” panel was preserved in storage at Midwest Sign Company in Kansas City, Kansas. The rooms are gone, though part of the familiar display escaped the scrap pile. 07-26

Cadet Motor Inn (Gone)
Coldwater, MI
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

The saluting figure at Cadet Motor Inn gave travelers through Coldwater, Michigan, a welcome with a little military precision. Two phases of neon animation made the cadet raise his arm beside the motel name. That’s considerably more entertaining than a plain vacancy panel.

The property stands along U.S. 12 near I-69. Published accounts differ on whether it opened in 1963 or 1967, but the sign’s upkeep is better documented: restoration in 1997 followed by repainting in 2005 kept the familiar figure looking sharp.

UPDATE: Cadet Motor Inn remains open, but its animated marquee was replaced with a backlit sign in 2020. The cadet figure was reportedly saved by a private collector. The lodging business continues, although passing motorists no longer receive that roadside salute. 07-26

Double A Motel
Fremont, OH
Photo courtesy Mark Hackett

The giant starburst at Double A Motel in Fremont, Ohio, adds a little Space Age excitement to East State Street. On a snowy day, the sign makes a warm room look especially inviting. It’s quite a display for a straightforward roadside motor court. 01-01

A 1966 travel guide listed Double A with 40 rooms. The starburst’s metal spikes were tipped with bulbs, although its height made replacements difficult. Anglers also found practical conveniences here, including seasonal fish-cleaning and storage facilities.

UPDATE: Double A Motel remains open, and the oversized starburst still stands above its sign. Fishing-season facilities continue to be advertised, keeping the property useful to visitors heading for the Sandusky River and Lake Erie. Fortunately, the old motel still comes with its most eye-catching feature. 07-26

Arrow Head Motel (Demolished)
Columbia, MO
Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans

The Arrow Head Motel sign gave Columbia, Missouri, travelers more than the usual vacancy announcement. Its arrowhead shape and animated neon figure sending smoke signals made it a memorable roadside display. “Free Local Calls” supplied a more practical reason to consider a room.

The property began in 1938 as Arrowhead Camp and Service Station. Brick cabins around a courtyard offered the classic tourist-court arrangement, while the later marquee bore the signature of local signmaker Henry Dietz. A 2008 fire helped bring the motel’s operating years to an end.

UPDATE: Arrow Head was demolished in 2022 after years of vacancy. Its animated sign disappeared as well, and no confirmed preservation account has surfaced. Columbia lost both an early tourist court and one of its most distinctive motel advertisements. 07-26