# Outdated motel signage **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 1, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449 "2011-07-01T00:24:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/1 "2011-07-01T00:24:04Z")
I can recall somewhat recently (past few years) seeing a motel sign that advertised “Color TV” and another that advertised “Air Conditioning”. Well, golly, I bet them have those new fangled waterclosets, too! Anyone else notice this within the past 5 years? Both the motels above were run down and obviously never bothered to change signs. Personally, if I owned a motel, I think I’d make a big deal out of having both, in order to attract the hipster crowd. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/2 "2011-07-01T01:17:30Z")
You mean Color TV… and \*Air \*Conditioned. Google ‘old motel signs’. \>Hot Water Heat \>Refrigeration \>Color TV! by RCA \>Laundromat . ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/3 "2011-07-01T01:18:48Z")
Of course. There must be 1000 motel signs in America that were erected when those were selling points. Especially along the old business routes through town, many of them still shine brightly for [us neon fans.](http://www.sca-roadside.org/) I still occasionally see ones touting steam heat and in-room radios. [Check out this flickr pool.](http://www.flickr.com/groups/355438@N24/) ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/4 "2011-07-01T01:37:55Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > Of course. There must be 1000 motel signs in America that were erected when those were selling points. Especially along the old business routes through town, many of them still shine brightly for [us neon fans.](http://www.sca-roadside.org/) I still occasionally see ones touting steam heat and in-room radios. [Check out this flickr pool.](http://www.flickr.com/groups/355438@N24/) Great pics! There is a Thunderbird Motel here with the sign: “Stay a night or stay a lifetime” ( or some such). ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/5 "2011-07-01T01:51:43Z")
Bob’s Motel in Thunder Bay offers “Vibra-beds” or at least they did the last time I was there a couple of years ago. They also have awesome postcards from back in the 60s that show a silly eye-catching “space age” sign. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/6 "2011-07-01T01:52:50Z")
Of course, there’s always Motel HELLO 😛 ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/7 "2011-07-01T02:33:17Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > I can recall somewhat recently (past few years) seeing a motel sign that advertised “Color TV” and another that advertised “Air Conditioning”. Air “Conditioning”? I guess you never tried “[100% Refrigerated Air](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PctdHV98s8Y/RlweuwoyPII/AAAAAAAAAIk/305FiZyoXtg/s1600-h/Blue+Swallow.jpg)”! ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/8 "2011-07-01T02:33:24Z")
Heh…I just put [this collage](http://www.flickr.com/photos/7896173@N03/5889788254/) together last night. The thing that amuses me about hotel/motel signs is all of the FREE things you get. Man, the innkeepers of America are sure a generous bunch! ---
**Author:** ![Jimson\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@Jimson\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimson_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/9 "2011-07-01T12:20:49Z")
There’s an old hotel building in downtown Cincinnati that boasts 110 rooms 60 bathrooms… ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/10 "2011-07-01T13:01:02Z")
My all time favorite was “Going to Tinker? So and so Motel.” It had to do with travelers who intended to stay in the vicinity of Tinker Air Force base in Oklahoma. I’ve forgotten the actual motel name and this post is way off subject. But remembering that sign always makes me smile. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/11 "2011-07-01T14:04:28Z")
Wouldn’t be an old-school motel without the “COME TAKE A DIP IN OUR POO” sign. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/12 "2011-07-01T14:11:11Z")
Hey, we just spent 10 days in an upscale Seattle hotel _without_ air conditioning. I’ll be looking for those signs from now on! ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/13 "2011-07-01T14:52:15Z")
Nowadays it’s common to see “HBO” and “Internet Service.” Btw, There is a commercial on TV for a hotel (don’t remember which) that advertises always having “clean sheets” just as someone is climbing in bed. Which makes me :dubious: think: for real there are hotels that _don’t_ put clean sheets on the beds!?" ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/14 "2011-07-01T15:03:54Z")
> [@postcards](#): > > Air “Conditioning”? I guess you never tried “[100% Refrigerated Air](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PctdHV98s8Y/RlweuwoyPII/AAAAAAAAAIk/305FiZyoXtg/s1600-h/Blue+Swallow.jpg)”! Oh my, I can smell the stale cigarette smoke already. I wonder if they have cool pinball machines in the motel bar. I totally want to stay there! I love the air conditioning signs where there’s frost on the letters. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/15 "2011-07-01T15:06:25Z")
On Route 1 south of Boston, there are a number of old school motels that look like they just jumped straight out of a postcard from 1964. I don’t really know who stays in them most of the time but they are fairly cheap and have the puzzling signage. One morning I was driving by one when I noticed the only car in the parking lot was a Brady Bunch style station wagon that looked as polished as the day it left the GM factory. I wish I had a camera on because I would have loved to have gotten that picture with a date stamp on it. I think there may be a niche market for people caught in a time warp who look travel around in old cars and look for assurance that they can have color TV and free local phone calls if they stay in certain motels. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/16 "2011-07-01T15:14:13Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > I just put [this collage](http://www.flickr.com/photos/7896173@N03/5889788254/) together last night. It’s a graphic barrage of all the things you see whenever you are exactly where you don’t want to be. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/17 "2011-07-01T15:57:42Z")
If I might be permitted a minor hijack, a local chain restaurant now proudly advertises that they have Bottled Water and Chips available. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/18 "2011-07-01T17:35:39Z")
You guys have to take a look at [The Gobbler, from James Lileks’ Institute of Official Cheer.](http://lileks.com/institute/motel/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/19 "2011-07-01T17:56:30Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Heh…I just put [this collage](http://www.flickr.com/photos/7896173@N03/5889788254/) together last night. I’m disappointed that one of our [local landmarks](http://www.ettc.net/njarts/examples/WoodMoonMotel400.jpg) wasn’t on there – perfect fit! ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449/20 "2011-07-01T18:18:53Z")
Hell, even signs advertising cable in the room are outdated. When’s the last time you were at a hotel that didn’t have at least some very basic cable channels? I have stayed in some A+ dives and every single of them has had cable. The programming might have been viewed from a TV box set older than I am that only displayed primary colors, barely, but it was connected to cable. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outdated-motel-signage/587449.md?page=2)