Sunset Motel (Closed)
Pueblo, CO
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Sunset Motel sign in Pueblo had a familiar roadside look, bearing a resemblance to another Sunset marquee in Moriarty, New Mexico. Shared names and similar designs sometimes made motels hundreds of miles apart feel like distant relatives.

Located along Lake Avenue, the Sunset belonged to Pueblo's older collection of roadside accommodations. Its sign once helped motorists pick a place to spend the night. The property has since taken on a different purpose, providing permanent homes rather than overnight rooms.

UPDATE: Posada acquired the former motel in November 2020 and completed its conversion to Sunset Senior Housing in March 2023. The project created 16 one bedroom apartments, initially housing 18 seniors. The motel business is gone, but the property continues offering shelter, giving an old roadside lodging site a useful second chapter. 06-26

Galaxie Motel
Brigham City, UT
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

The Galaxie Motel in Brigham City certainly chose a fitting name for its sign. Between the starburst and futuristic styling, the display looks ready to welcome visitors arriving by flying saucer rather than station wagon.

Built in 1960, the motel arrived during the Space Age, and its marquee likely dates from the same period. The design offered a different approach from the cowboys and covered wagons advertising other Western motels. Here, the invitation was to spend the night somewhere with an eye toward the future.

UPDATE: The Galaxie property continues to appear in lodging listings, although other names have been associated with it over the years. The vintage sign reportedly remains out front, preserving its original roadside identity. More than sixty years later, that starburst still makes a memorable introduction to Brigham City. 06-26

Old Trapper Motel
Logan, UT
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

The Old Trapper Motel brought a memorable name to downtown Logan. Its roadside sign suggested a little mountain country character, giving travelers something more distinctive to remember than another numbered room beside a parking lot.

The motel dates to 1940, when it was built as the Bridgerland Motel. Its later Old Trapper identity also suited the town: Logan itself was named for an early trapper, Ephraim Logan. That's a fitting connection for lodging in Cache Valley, even if the rooms offered considerably more comfort than a trapper's camp.

UPDATE: The property continues as Trapper Lodging, with weekly and monthly room rentals advertised in recent years. The emphasis has shifted toward longer stays, but the Trapper name remains in use. Another older lodging property has found a way to continue serving people rather than disappearing from the downtown landscape. 06-26

Trails End Motel
Dubois, WY
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

Check out the Trails End Motel marquee in Dubois. The open framework above the lettering adds a little mystery to the display, although what it originally held isn't clear. The motel name itself offered a welcome suggestion after a long day behind the wheel.

An old postcard advertised 22 modern units along the Wind River on Highways 26 and 287. That riverside setting gave the property something beyond a convenient driveway to promote. Travelers could stop in town while remaining close to the scenery that brought them through Wyoming.

UPDATE: The Trails End continues welcoming guests in Dubois, with its roadside sign still appearing in current lodging photographs. The property remains beside the Wind River, carrying on the small motel tradition advertised in its postcards. For arriving motorists, the name still makes a convincing promise of a place to stop. 06-26

Holiday Motel
Jerome, ID
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

The Holiday Motel in Jerome put a little space age decoration above its roadside welcome. Check out the star and the colorful balls around its points. The topper gives the marquee a playful appearance without requiring an enormous sign or an elaborate roadside character.

Standing along West Main Street, the display recalls the years when motel owners used stars, globes, and geometric shapes to suggest something modern. Its exact installation date remains unclear, but the design fits comfortably among the imaginative motel signs of the postwar travel era.

UPDATE: The property continues to be listed as the Holiday Motel by southern Idaho's tourism organization. Its star topped sign reportedly remains, preserving the detail that made the original display worth photographing. Whatever changes have taken place behind it, the marquee still gives this Jerome lodging stop a recognizable roadside identity. 06-26

Zion Inn Motel (Closed)
Cedar City, UT
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

The Zion Inn Motel sign in Cedar City made good use of neon without needing a giant arrow or an oversized mascot. Tubing followed the lettering, giving the motel name a clear glow that approaching motorists could spot after dark.

Cedar City has long served travelers exploring southern Utah's parks, and the Zion name made that connection immediately. The marquee had a more recent appearance than many classic motor court signs, but it continued the familiar roadside practice of using illuminated lettering to turn a business name into a landmark.

UPDATE: The Zion Inn Motel has closed, and the property now carries the Kolob Travel name. The old motel identity is gone, while this photograph preserves its neon welcome. It represents another chapter in Cedar City's lodging history, when travelers could follow the glowing Zion lettering toward a room for the night. 06-26