East Park Motel
Burley, ID
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out the starburst orb above the East Park Motel sign in Burley. It gives the marquee a little space age flair without taking up much room on the ground. The motel name tells you where you are, but that spiky topper is what makes you reach for the camera. 09-06

Located along Main Street, the East Park belonged to Burley's collection of independent roadside lodging stops. Vintage postcards show the motel proudly advertising its accommodations, back when a postcard could help keep a property's name in circulation long after a guest checked out. The orb added a memorable finishing touch to the sales pitch. Even without knowing the sign's exact installation date, there's no mistaking the era its design brings to mind.

UPDATE: The East Park appears to remain in use for extended stays, and its distinctive sign reportedly survives. The property is still listed among Burley's lodging businesses. Good to see that little starburst hanging on above Main Street rather than ending up as another missing piece of the roadside. 06-26

Towne Center Motel (Closed)
Mountain Home, ID
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Towne Center Motel lived up to its name with a location in downtown Mountain Home. Check out the classic sign out front. Its lettering gave passing motorists the information they needed without much fuss, and the display looked right at home among the businesses along North Second East Street. 09-06

Property records date the motel to 1964 and describe a two story operation with 29 rooms. That's a useful reminder that roadside lodging wasn't always a string of detached cabins or a sprawling motor court. Here, travelers could stay in the middle of town, with exterior room entrances and their cars nearby. The Towne Center was still included in Mountain Home's visitor lodging guide during the 2010s.

UPDATE: The Towne Center Motel has closed. Its longtime downtown presence and familiar sign recall the years when finding a room meant driving through town and looking over the choices along the street. The property's next chapter remains unclear, but this photo preserves its identity as one of Mountain Home's independent lodging stops. 06-26

Capitol Motel (Demolished)
Salt Lake City, UT
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out the little capitol building above the Capitol Motel sign in Salt Lake City. Between the dome and the staggered lettering, this marquee made good use of its name. It was a fitting roadside advertisement along State Street, with enough detail to reward a closer look. 09-06

The property opened in July 1931 as the Capitol Tourist Apartments and Motor Lodge, designed by architects Lewis & Nelson. Its English Tudor buildings originally contained 15 apartments, with private garages for 14 of them. Around 1950, those garages were converted into additional accommodations. Long before free television became a selling point, keeping your automobile under its own roof was part of the attraction.

UPDATE: The Capitol's sign reportedly fell and was destroyed shortly after these 2006 photographs. The motel lasted longer, briefly serving as transitional housing before demolition in June 2020. A mixed income apartment development replaced it. Nearly ninety years of lodging ended at the site, but this photo catches the little dome still standing above the road. 06-26

Branding Iron Motel
Twin Falls, ID
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Branding Iron Motel sign in Twin Falls always reminded me of something you might find outside a bowling alley. Check out the round “BI” emblem on top. With a little imagination, it could pass for a bowling ball, although the initials make more sense as a cattle brand. 09-06

The marquee likely dates from the 1950s, and records place the motel in operation by 1957. Its Western name fits southern Idaho, but the sign takes a different approach from the usual cowboy or bucking horse. The circular emblem and distinctive arrangement of the lettering give it an identity of its own. It's a nice example of how a simple set of initials could become the centerpiece of a roadside display.

UPDATE: The Branding Iron Motel appears to remain open, and its vintage sign reportedly still stands out front. Good to see this one continuing to represent the old motel name in Twin Falls. Whether you see a cattle brand or a bowling ball, the unusual topper still gives motorists a reason to look up. 06-26

Boulevard Motel
Boise, ID
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Boulevard Motel sign in Boise certainly wanted motorists to know television was available. Check out that prominently advertised amenity. What once helped sell a room now helps date the display, recalling the days when watching TV after a long drive was something worth putting on the marquee. 09-06

Built in 1938, the motel belongs to an earlier generation of automobile lodging along Capitol Boulevard. Its sign later received preservation assistance through a 1998 grant. I was excited to find it illuminated on a return visit to Boise and worked my way through the traffic into the parking lot for a closer look. Television may have been the advertised attraction, but the neon was what brought me in.

UPDATE: The Boulevard no longer operates as a motel, but the property was preserved for affordable housing and the historic sign was restored. It's good to see the old name still glowing beside the street. Not every former motor court gets to keep such a recognizable piece of its roadside identity. 06-26