Classic Images of Motels and Inns From Past and Present

Built at the end of the 19th century, the Campbell Inn was one of the classic inns of the Catskill Mountains. The Catskills were a popular summer destination before the age of air conditioning and affordable jet travel. Roscoe also has its own claim to fame as “Trout Town USA,” with five of America’s top trout streams nearby, and the Campbell Inn was popular with anglers.

The English Motel in Amarillo served travelers on the famed Route 66. Also known as the Will Rogers Highway, the Main Street of America, and the Mother Road, Route 66 was established in 1926 and was one of the original components of the U.S. Highway System. It ran from Chicago to Santa Monica. The English Motel closed in the 1990s.

The Voyager Motel started well. Designed by the same architect who did Miami Beach’s famous Fontainebleau Hotel, it opened in 1957 and was described as a nice spot with nice people. Unfortunately, it hit hard times and became a haven for criminals, and was eventually converted to a senior citizen’s center in the 1980s.

The Ebb Tide was one of the earliest motels in Wildwood, the famous resort city on the New Jersey coast. Wildwood’s attractions include the boardwalk, which is packed with eateries, shops, waterparks and thrill rides, and the Doo Wop Experience museum, with 1950s and 1960s artifacts such as neon signs.