a retro blast from the past: Old Chicago Motels

By robert | February 20, 2015 |

roadside america | Mid-century motel design

So this is what I get for poking around in some old backup drives looking for files from way back: a little trip down memory lane and some time wasted. I found all sort of photos (baptisms, Christmas, holidays and vacations) and then I came across these. I REMEMBERED these but cow;dint have recalled exactly WHEN I was there to take them. I was in Chicago in 2005 and my friend Kristen took me to the outskirts of Chicago along North Lincoln Ave, Lincolnwood, Il.

There’s  not a lot for me to say about these other than I was kind of in  “creepy motel heaven”. God know I would not want to ever stay even NEAR one of these, but i’ll photograph them all day long. All I think about looking at these (beside guessing the quantity of bedbugs) is how this type of advertising and signage will one day be completely a thing of the past as everything gets ‘updated’. All the Vegas style arrows and blinking and promise of Air Conditioning and phones is just so interesting to me. To think a working phone was enough to get you to check into a motel!!!

Enjoy and pray you never need to stay here—-


vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

2 arrows in case you can’t find the entrance.

vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

‘adventure’ is an understatement! “HEY! Who brought the lice shampoo?!”

vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

Oh boy, do I LOVE this tile and font!!

vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

Not so much mid-century as simply haunting. Did the bunnies serve you once seated, or were you dining on rabbit. One will never know.

vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

I’ll bet this was REALLY cool when it was brand-new!!!

vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

‘Esquire’ theatre. The ‘U’ was burnt out.

robertnorman_1953

I’m going to start dotting my ‘I’s” with tiny stars.

vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

Thanks god there is a switchboard for all your International calls.

vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

Listen, let’s get down to business. Just STOP and DRINK, dammit!

robertnorman_1957

Step right this way to somewhere.

vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

I think this is like that “Platform 9 3/4” in Harry Potter–you enter through the wall. Or climb through a window – either is fine.

vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

I think AIC was an early version of ‘AC’: Air Incredible Conditioning

vintage, old motels from Chicago, mid-century, abandoned, 2005

Feel itchy? Me too–time for a shower.

Posted in personal, travel and tagged , ,

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