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Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Postcards from the road

I recently ran across a wonderfully nostalgic collection of photographs taken from motel postcards of the 1950s and 1960s. You can find the entire Flickr collection...38 in all...under the name of Roadsidepictures. If you're too young to remember vacations spent in rooms like these, you're in for a treat. If you're closer to my age, these images will surely spark some "Are we there yet?" memories of good times on the road with the family.

If you look closely, you'll see some beautiful furnishings, including some that are considered quite collectible and, in some cases, even valuable today.


Holly's Motel - Grasonville, Maryland
flickr.com - Roadsidepictures

Little America Motel - Salt Lake City, Utah
flickr.com - Roadsidepictures

Valley Forge Motel - St. Petersburg, Florida
flickr.com - Roadsidepictures

George E. Johnson's Cordova Lodge - Sacramento, California
flickr.com - Roadsidepictures

Sugar Loaf Lodge - Sugar Loaf Key, Florida
flickr.com - Roadsidepictures

Christy's Hotel Court - Michigan City, Indiana
flickr.com - Roadsidepictures

The Mariner Motel - Virginia Beach, Virginia
flickr.com - Roadsidepictures
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11 comments:

  1. Ray G October 2, 2013 at 3:30 AM

    Fascinating seeing things like this, and how we now interpret this era.

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    1. Dana@Mid2ModOctober 2, 2013 at 10:36 AM

      Yes, I find it really fascinating to compare my attitudes about the era, having grown up then myself, with the attitudes of people much younger than myself. Many things that I remember as very commonplace have been romanticized by many of the younger generation.

      Delete
  2. KylieOctober 2, 2013 at 8:11 AM

    I have never seen (or stayed in, for that matter!) hotel rooms as cool and stylish as these ones Dana. Even the ones I remember from my 70's childhood weren't this cool! We must've stayed in the budget versions! Well, with five kids, what are you going to do, right?!
    Is that a Tretchikoff in the Cordova Lodge?

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    1. Dana@Mid2ModOctober 2, 2013 at 10:34 AM

      There were just two of us kids, and we never stayed anywhere that snazzy either!

      And good eye for catching the Tretchikoff. It's called "Zulu Maiden." The original is up for auction this week.

      Delete
  3. Dolly the BirdOctober 2, 2013 at 10:45 AM

    What I find interesting is that THESE are the kind of hotel rooms you always see recreated in films and photoshoots today. People love them and their style! Yet, the real honest to goodness places that are lucky enough to still have this vibe and decor will rip them out in a heartbeat for bland white on almond sameness. W. T. F.

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    1. Dana@Mid2ModOctober 2, 2013 at 12:21 PM

      Sometimes I forget that those of us who love the design of this era are but a small segment of the general population. The rest of the world finds it terribly out of style and out of step with its dull sameness. :)

      Delete
  4. Ton S. October 2, 2013 at 10:57 AM

    Very interesting postcards. It's like steeping into the set of Mad Men.

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    1. Dana@Mid2ModOctober 2, 2013 at 12:22 PM

      Mad Man was very well researched, don't you think?

      Delete
  5. toveOctober 2, 2013 at 11:58 PM

    Oh wow, these are so stunning, Dana!! They're all gorgeous, I think the Sugar Loaf Lodge is my favorite, though. I love this kind of photographs, I saw an amazing exhibition some years ago, and I could just kick myself for not remembering the artists name...

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  6. RoseOctober 3, 2013 at 8:31 AM

    I stayed in a lot of hotels in the 80s that had this furniture still left over, although it wasn't looking this good and there was nothing romantic about it!

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  7. UnknownOctober 4, 2013 at 9:45 AM

    Nice! I have been wandering around NYC and a little MIA. Just catching up.

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