The Dreamland Motel

Much has been noted over the years about the vanishing signage of our American landscape. As weather and rust, neglect and blight take its gradual and sometimes total destruction of the grand signs of mid-century America. Corey Miller, a screenwriter and producer from Los Angeles has been saving these signs with his outstanding photography on Flickr.

Miller began photographing the signs about eight years ago and said:  “There is something inherently melancholy about a fading sign representing the lost hope of a business that has either seen better days, or has closed altogether. Many are modern works of art — and I like to think of the workmanship and the time spent crafting the neon tubes, the form, the typography. I also want to photograph these signs to document fading American relics before they are demolished, and replaced by yet another bland chain store or parking lot.  I usually attempt to isolate the sign in my photographs, often against a clear sky, once again letting it shine.”

Back then, on a crowded thoroughfare, if you owned a motel or restaurant — your sign had to “out do” the establishment down the road if you wanted to stay in business. Was it neon you needed? Big flashing arrows? How about pushing that you have color television and air conditioning in every room? The sign makers of that time were in their heyday, and Corey Miller’s site — complete with street address and city — is a treat for all of us.

All images on Corey Miler’s site and the ones shown here are © copyright.

On the site of an old Howard Johnson’s, the Paradise Restaurant has long been vacant.
Where Highways 301 and 17 meet in Dover, GA

Lobster House Restaurant (Explored 9/5/13)
1681 N. Main St., Allendale SC

Dreamland Motel
1134 Burton’s Ferry Highway, Sylvania, GA

Vince’s Spaghetti
1206 W. Holt Blvd., Ontario CA

The Lanai Motel
1749 Valley Blvd., Alhambra CA

Sugar ’n Spice Drive-In Restaurant
Since 1961. 212 S. Pine St., Spartanburg SC

New Corral Motel
Along old Route 66. 14643 7th St., Victorville CA

Motel Holiday Inn
1564 N. Mt. Vernon Ave., San Bernardino, CA

Desert Motors
Along old Route 66, located at 16598 S. D St., Victorville CA

Vodie’s Alignment and Brakes
9891 Garden Grove Blvd., Garden Grove CA

Dino’s House Of Pancakes
2120 Highway 17 S, North Myrtle Beach, SC

Figueroa Hotel
939 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles CA

Leader Beauty Shop
1946-1989. But the sign still stands tall. 300 block of Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles CA

Screen Shot from Corey Miller’s Flickr page on signs

Thunderbird Motor Inn
2004 W. Lucas St., Florence SC

Lido Motel (Route 66)
2180 Cajon Blvd., San Bernardino CA. On the old Route 66.

Chip’s Coffee Shop
A classic Googie diner from the 1950’s, this restaurant is now a 50’s themed restaurant.
11908 Hawthorne Blvd., Hawthorne CA

Sunland Motel — Explored
465 W. Miracle Mile, Tucson AZ. As seen on Explore 2/22/13.

The Los Feliz Capri Apartments
2030 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles CA

Holiday Liquor
9150 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles CA

Pala Motel
987 E. Holt Ave., Pomona CA

Tucson Inn
127 W. Drachman St., Tucson AZ

Pine Cone Resort
601 Highway 50, Zephyr Cove, NV