Sahara Motel (Closed)
Jordan Valley, OR
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

Here's an old sign outside of the Sahara Motel in Jordan Valley, OR. Even with the classic roadside sign, the motel still features modern amenities such as satellite TV. The town of Jordan Valley has a population of less than 300. The Sahara is located at 609 Main St.

The arrow, bright colors, and classic lettering were meant to catch the eye of motorists crossing this lonely stretch of Oregon. With a town of fewer than 300 people, it probably didn't take much to become a local landmark.

Today the motel sits vacant, but the sign is still doing what it has done for decades. It catches your attention and makes you wonder what the Sahara was like when the neon was glowing and there was still a vacancy waiting at the end of the arrow.

UPDATE: The motel remains abandoned, and the roadside sign still stands along U.S. 95. 07-26

Casa Loma Motel (Gone)
Roseburg, OR
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

This roadside sign always reminded me of one of the old Hardee's restaurant buildings. The Casa Loma Motel marquee has the same sweeping roofline that makes you do a double take as you drive by.

The motel sat along old Highway 99 in Roseburg, where signs like this competed for the attention of passing motorists. Even if the rates were what first brought people in, it was probably the unusual marquee that got them to slow down.

The motel eventually became the Roseburg Inn, and the old sign was updated with a new name. Fortunately, its distinctive shape survived the change and is still easy to recognize.

UPDATE: The former Casa Loma Motel continues to operate as the Roseburg Inn, with its original roadside sign is gone. 07-26

Bunny's Motel
Grants Pass, OR
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

You don't have to look very hard to spot the Bunny's Motel. Just watch for the white rabbit perched on top of the roadside sign along old Highway 99 in Grants Pass.

It's the kind of roadside sign that makes you wonder who came up with the idea, and why more motels didn't put rabbits on their marquees. The bunny has plenty of personality and gives the place a character all its own.

Behind the sign is a classic 1950s style auto court, with the rooms gathered around a central parking area. It was built during the days when Highway 99 carried travelers through town, and the sign's job was to convince them this was the place to spend the night.

The motel is still open today, and the bunny is still doing its job. It's one of those little roadside surprises that makes old highways worth exploring.

UPDATE: Bunny's Motel remains open, and the white rabbit continues greeting travelers along old Highway 99. 07-26

Valley Motel
Medford, OR
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The big roadside sign at the Valley Motel is exactly the kind of thing that makes old Highway 99 worth driving. Standing high above North Pacific Highway, it has all the styling you'd expect from a late 1940s motel sign, complete with bright neon and a unique circular opening that frames a pine tree.

It's a simple design, but one that catches your eye from a long way off. The neon still looks great after all these years, proving that a well-built sign never really goes out of style.

The motel originally opened as the O-Gee Motel before becoming the Valley Motel, but the roadside sign remains the real attraction. It's the kind of landmark that reminds you of a time when every motel tried to have a sign a little different from the next one.

UPDATE: The Valley Motel remains open, and its classic neon sign continues to light up old Highway 99. 07-26