Vintage Roadside pitches in to help save the Crown Motel sign

We here at Vintage Roadside have an undeniable passion for classic signs and their preservation - and an undeniable weakness for neon! We're continually impressed by the individual artistry, imagination, and talent that went into creating these singular works of art intended to catch the traveler's eye and imagination.

When we received word from our friends at the Mid-Century Modern League in Portland, Oregon that the Crown Motel, a classic 1959 motel located on Interstate Avenue, was going to be razed, our first question was, "What about the sign?"


The Crown Motel sign is a wonderful example of the golden age of sign making. Oftentimes, business owners didn't pick a sign ready-made out of a catalog, but had one created specifically to represent the business...and in some cases, the owner's very particular brand of whimsy.

The Crown Motel sign certainly ranks up there with the best, combining a giant sword lit with flashing bulbs, a crown outlined with green neon, and a 33' tower with backlit plastic letters.


Through the efforts of numerous groups and individuals, a solution was reached this March that enabled the Crown Motel's impressive sign to be preserved. The first phase (removal) has now been successfully completed and the sign is currently in the capable hands of Ramsey Signs - a local company that's been taking care of Portland's sign needs since 1911. The next step is to finalize a new location and begin restoration.

The Crown is safely lowered to the trailer. (Above)

A worker preps the large section for removal. (Above)

Three cranes were required to safely lift the central section of the sign. (Above)

The large section has now been removed from the lot. (Above)

Slowly lowering the sign. (Above)

Recently these classic signs have begun to receive the attention they deserve. However, like many of the landmarks of the American roadside, we are losing these wonderful icons on a daily basis. If you know of a sign in danger of being removed, destroyed, or that needs a new home in order to survive, let us know. We're always happy to offer thoughts and ideas!

Vintage Roadside loves neon Vacancy signs

There are few things we enjoy more here at Vintage Roadside than going on a road trip. Part of the fun is not knowing just where along the road you may end up for the night. "Will they have a neat vintage sign?", "Will they have a restaurant nearby?", and most important after a long day of driving, "Will they have a vacancy?". However we've noticed something missing at many motels (mainly the "chain" motels) recently. We seem to have quietly lost an old roadside friend while we weren't looking. The friend we refer to is that beacon in the night: The neon Vacancy sign.


Next time you're traveling along a major interstate take a look at those motel signs lining the exits. You'll recognize the majority of them as you see the same signs at just about every major freeway exit across the country. They're big, they always seem to be in fine repair and many even tell you what you'll be paying for a room. However there's one critical point they're missing: Do they have a room tonight? I'm sure many hours of research went into these sign designs that don't incorporate a "vacancy/no vacancy" feature, but no one enjoys navigating a series of off-ramps at 2:30 am only to be told there are no rooms available. Nor do many people find the suggestion that driving 48 miles back the way you came to get a room very helpful either. I realize some might suggest a reservation to solve this issue, but to me the entire spirit of the road trip is discovering new places - perhaps I spent 2 extra hours at the local historical society, or went 50 miles out of the way to find a mom and pop drive in? At that point I want to head off down the road until I'm ready to call it a night. This method of finding lodging worked for decades and I hate to lose this magical part of the journey.


The next time you're out on the road and need a place to stay take another look at those mom and pop motels. Sure they might not have wireless internet or free HBO but you'll be able to spot that vacancy sign from a mile down the road!