Take a road trip back in time to Sonoma County's mid-century roadside motels

From the neon lights that greeted weary travelers to the pools that offered welcome rest from the road, take a look at historic photos of Sonoma County motels.|
JANET BALICKI WEBER
FOR THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Mom-and-pop motels once lined California coastal roadways from San Diego to Crescent City. During the mid-century building boom of the 1950s and 1960s, a number of “motor hotels” or “motels” sprung up with simple modern rooms and fanciful facades.

In Sonoma County, the Astro Motel, Los Robles Lodge, and Flamingo Hotel were a few of the larger overnight establishments that beckoned visitors with neon signs and modern conveniences.

On Saturday, June 16 from 2 to 3 p.m. the Santa Rosa Central Library (211 E St, Santa Rosa) welcomes Heather M. David the author of “Motel California: A Pictorial History of the Motel in the Golden State,” to discuss the cultural phenomena surrounding the rise and fall of the American roadside motel. The event is free. Books cost $45.

Scroll through the gallery about to see some of the roadside motels that used to dot Sonoma County roads.

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