89-636: The Sun-n-Sand Motor Hotel was a motel in Jackson, Mississippi , United States. The motel was opened in 1960 and partially demolished in 2021. The motel was opened by Mississippi businessman Dumas Milner and was designed in either the International or mid-century modern style. Due to its close proximity to the Mississippi State Capitol , the motel served as the temporary lodging for many politicians and elected officials while
178-577: A Mississippi Landmark , which, according to reporting from the Clarion-Ledger , could potentially save the building from demolition. On November 5, the MDAH started a 30-day public comment period to collect opinions on the site, and by November 19, a petition to preserve the site posted by Mississippi Heritage Trust on Change.org had garnered over 1,300 signatures. By January 2020, the petition had garnered roughly 2,600 signatures. That same month,
267-733: A cross burning outside of the motel after they became aware that activists associated with the Council of Federated Organizations were staying there as part of the Freedom Summer project. The motel also served as the meeting place for activists involved in the Wednesdays in Mississippi program. During his time as a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives, Aaron Henry , a civil rights activist who served as
356-498: A marketing co-operative . With the introduction of chains, independent motels started to decline. The emergence of freeways bypassing existing highways (such as the Interstate Highway System in the U.S.) caused older motels away from the new roads to lose clientele to motel chains built along the new road's offramps. Some entire roadside towns were abandoned. Amboy, California (population 700) had grown as
445-537: A motor hotel , motor inn or motor lodge , is a hotel designed for motorists, usually having each room entered directly from the parking area for motor vehicles rather than through a central lobby . Entering dictionaries after World War II , the word motel , coined as a portmanteau of "motor hotel", originates from the defunct lodging compound establishment; The Milestone Mo-Tel in San Luis Obispo, California (later renamed as "Motel Inn"), which
534-478: A 1984 meeting at the hotel with politicians William J. McCoy and Michael P. Mills , journalist Sid Salter of the Clarion-Ledger said that the living arrangements at the motel were similar to those of the freshman dormitories at Mississippi State University and that the politicians who stayed there operated under the Chatham House Rule . In 2001, McCoy said concerning the political activities at
623-474: A Route 66 rest stop and would decline with the highway as the opening of Interstate 40 in 1973 bypassed the village entirely. The ghost town and its 1938 Roy's Motel and Café were allowed to decay for years and used by film makers in a weathered and deteriorated state. Even the original 1952 Holiday Inn Hotel Courts in Memphis closed by 1973 and was eventually demolished, as I-40 bypassed U.S. 70 and
712-405: A balcony served by multiple stairwells. The post-war motels, especially in the early 1950s to late 1960s, sought more visual distinction, often featuring eye-catching colorful neon signs which employed themes from popular culture, ranging from Western imagery of cowboys and Indians to contemporary images of spaceships and atomic era iconography. U.S. Route 66 is the most popular example of
801-453: A bicameral legislature of the state, composed of a Senate and a House of Representatives , in which all lawmaking authority is vested. The constitution requires the legislature to convene in regular annual sessions, with most lasting for 90 days and sessions on every fourth year lasting for 125 days, though the legislature can extend their sessions with the approval of two-thirds of its members. The governor may also at their discretion call
890-427: A decline in revenue for individual franchisees. An influx of newly concocted brands became a key factor in a boom in new construction which ultimately led to market saturation . Mississippi Legislature The Mississippi Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi . The bicameral Legislature is composed of the lower Mississippi House of Representatives , with 122 members, and
979-431: A different trademark and branding , major hotel chains could build new limited-service properties near airports and freeways without undermining their existing mid-price brands. Creation of new brands also allowed chains to circumvent the contractual minimum distance protections between individual hoteliers in the same chain. Franchisors placed multiple properties under different brands at the same motorway exit, leading to
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#17328023960081068-399: A family vacation. He would build his own motel at 4941 Summer Avenue ( U.S. 70 ) on the main highway (U.S. 70) from Memphis to Nashville , adopting a name from a 1942 musical film Holiday Inn about a fictional lodge only open on public holidays. Every new Holiday Inn would have TV, air conditioning, a restaurant, and a pool; all would meet a long list of standards in order to have
1157-437: A group of motel owners in the southwestern U.S., published a guidebook until the early 1950s. A splinter of this now-defunct group, Quality Courts, began as a referral chain in 1941, but was converted to a franchised operation ( Quality Inn ) in the 1960s. Budget Host and Best Value Inn are also referral chains. Best Western (1946) was a similar referral chain of independent western U.S. motels. It remains in operation as
1246-660: A guest in Memphis to have the same experience as someone in Daytona Beach, Florida or Akron, Ohio . Originally a motel chain, Holiday Inn was first to deploy an IBM -designed national room reservations system in 1965 and opened its 1000th location by 1968. In 1954 a 60-room motor hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona , opened as the first Ramada ( Spanish for " a shaded resting place "). The Twin Bridges Motor Hotel , established in 1957 near Washington, D.C. as
1335-417: A limited immunity from arrest during a legislative session and 15 days before or after a session except in cases of "treason, felony, theft, or breach of the peace". In the event of a vacancy in a legislative seat in between regular elections, the governor issues a writ of election to enable a contest to be held to fill the seat for the remainder of its term. The Constitution of Mississippi provides for
1424-554: A lodging establishment called " Milestone Mo-Tel " in San Luis Obispo , California, which was constructed in 1925 by Arthur Heineman . In conceiving of a name for his hotel, Heineman combined the two words motor hotel into one word as mo-tel , after he found that he could not fit the words "Milestone Motor Hotel" on the rooftop. Therefore the word "motel" and literally the first motel was born. Many other similar businesses followed in its footsteps and started building their own auto camps, as well as calling themselves "motels". Later, as
1513-476: A member of Quality Courts, became the first Marriott in 1959, expanding from motel to hotel in 1962. For individual motel owners, a franchise chain provided an automated central reservation system and a nationally recognized brand which assured consumers that rooms and amenities met a consistent minimum standard. This came at a cost; franchise fees, marketing fees, reservation fees, and royalty fees were not reduced during times of economic recession, leaving most of
1602-417: A member-owned chain, although the modern Best Western operation shares many of the characteristics (such as centralized purchasing and reservation systems) of the later franchise systems. The earliest motel chains, proprietary brands for multiple properties built with common architecture, were born in the 1930s. The first of these were ownership chains, in which a small group of people owned and operated all of
1691-461: A motel chain was not pursued further. In 1951, residential developer Kemmons Wilson returned to Memphis, Tennessee disillusioned by motels encountered on a family road trip to Washington, D.C. In each city, rooms varied from well-kept to filthy, few had a swimming pool, no on-site restaurant meant a few miles driving to buy dinner, and (while the room itself was $ 8 to $ 10) motor courts charged $ 2 extra per child, substantially increasing costs of
1780-453: A motel strip extending from Lundy's Lane to the falls has long been marketed to newlyweds) would offer "honeymoon suites" with extra amenities such as whirlpool baths . The first campgrounds for automobile tourists were constructed in the late 1910s. Before that, tourists who couldn't afford to stay in a hotel either slept in their cars or pitched their tents in fields alongside the road. These were called auto camps. The modern campgrounds of
1869-455: A restaurant or diner or buy a meal no matter how much money you had. You couldn't find a place to answer the call of nature even with a pocketful of money...if you were a person of color traveling on Route 66 in the 1940s and '50s. The Negro Motorist Green Book (1936–64) listed lodgings, restaurants, fuel stations, liquor stores, and barber and beauty salons without racial restrictions; the smaller Directory of Negro Hotels and Guest Houses in
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#17328023960081958-422: A result of failing to obtain a registered trademark for the word "Mo-Tel" or "motel", Milestone Mo-Tel was renamed simply as " Motel Inn ". Combining the individual cabins of the tourist court under a single roof yielded the motor court or motor hotel. A handful of motor courts were beginning to call themselves motels, a term coined in 1926. Many of these early motels are still popular and are in operation, as in
2047-492: A room in a distant city. The main roads into major towns therefore became a sea of orange or red neon proclaiming VACANCY (and later C O L O R TV, air conditioning, or a swimming pool) as competing operators vied for precious visibility on crowded highways. Other venues for advertising were local tourist bureaus and postcards provided for free use by clients. A rating in the Directory of Motor Courts and Cottages by
2136-724: A rumor at 5:30 in the morning. It'd be around the Capitol later that day". In addition to legislators, many activists in the civil rights movement used the motel while staying in Jackson, such as Robert L. Carter of the NAACP , who stayed at the hotel in 1964. In July of that year, following the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , the motel became one of several in Jackson to desegregate and accept African American patrons. On August 15 of that year, Ku Klux Klan members held
2225-466: A tip for service. In the 1940s, most construction ground to a near-halt as workers, fuel, rubber, and transport were pulled away from civilian use for the war effort. What little construction did take place was typically near military bases where every habitable cabin was pressed into service to house soldiers and their families. The post-war 1950s ushered in a building boom on a massive scale. By 1947, approximately 22,000 motor courts were in operation in
2314-478: A total compensation of $ 40,000 to $ 50,000 per year from salary, per diem payments, and other reimbursements and payments, with several collecting around $ 70,000 per year. All legislators swear a state constitutionally-prescribed oath of office, which requires them to declare allegiance to the state and federal constitutions, pledge to be responsible in the exercise of their duties, and promise not to engage in vote trading . The constitution provides legislators with
2403-425: A two-thirds vote of the membership of his or her chamber. Legislative proceedings are open to the public unless a closed session for secrecy is deemed necessary, and each house has the power to punish public observers for disorderly and disruptive behavior. Each house keeps an official journal to record its proceedings, including votes on bills. A bill may originate in either house, and be amended or rejected in
2492-623: A very limited selection of continental breakfast foods but have no restaurant, bar, or room service. Journey's End Corporation (founded 1978 in Belleville, Ontario ) built two-story hotel buildings with no on-site amenities to compete directly in price with existing motels. Rooms were comparable to a good hotel but there was no pool, restaurant, health club, or conference center. There was no room service and generic architectural designs varied little between cities. The chain targeted "budget-minded business travelers looking for something between
2581-509: Is responsible for election of the state librarian. During instances of rebellion or foreign invasion, the legislature may suspend the writ of habeas corpus . The House of Representatives is empowered to impeach any state official with the agreement of two-thirds of its members and subject them to a trial in the Senate, which can remove an official from office with the agreement of two-thirds of its members. The legislature can pass amendments to
2670-552: The Mississippi House of Representatives and 52 members of the Mississippi Senate . Members are elected to four-year terms to represent districts. Among the states, Mississippi has the 14th largest lower house and fifth largest upper house. House districts are drawn such that each encompasses about 24,000 people, while Senate districts are drawn such that each encompasses about 55,000 people. Candidates for
2759-479: The Mississippi Legislature was in session. Additionally, during the 1960s, it became a prominent lodging location for activists in the civil rights movement , such as Robert L. Carter of the NAACP and several members of the Council of Federated Organizations during the Freedom Summer project. In either 2001 or 2002, the motel closed. Following this, the government of Mississippi leased
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2848-541: The NBC affiliate in Jackson, the purchase and conversion would save money for the state government compared to continued leasing of the site. The MDFA's plans to demolish the building were decried by many historians and historic preservation organizations in the state. In late October 2019, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) initiated the process of reviewing the site for designation as
2937-532: The Reconstruction era , the legislature met for biennial sessions. In 1890, constitutional revisions allowed the body to regularly convene only once every four years. In 1910, the legislature reverted to biennial meetings, and in 1968 it began meeting annually. In 1977, the state constitution was amended to require that legislative districts be apportioned equally in terms of population. The Mississippi Legislature has 174 elected members, with 122 members of
3026-493: The government of Mississippi leased the site for use as a parking lot by state legislators. In 2005, the property was purchased by Lamar Properties, under whose ownership the state government continued to lease the site. That same year, due to concerns regarding the historic preservation of the building, the nonprofit organization Mississippi Heritage Trust added the Sun-n-Sand Motor Hotel to its list of
3115-521: The southwestern United States , a handful of tourist homes were opened by African Americans as early as the Great Depression due to the lack of food or lodging for travelers of color in the Jim Crow conditions of the era. There were things money couldn't buy on Route 66. Between Chicago and Los Angeles you couldn't rent a room if you were tired after a long drive. You couldn't sit down in
3204-617: The upper Mississippi State Senate , with 52 members. Both representatives and senators serve four-year terms without term limits . The Legislature convenes at the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson . From 1800 until 1833, the legislative body of the Mississippi Territory and the state of Mississippi was known as the "General Assembly". Thereafter, it was known as "the Legislature of the State of Mississippi". During
3293-526: The "Ten Most Endangered Historic Places in Mississippi". In July 2019, the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration (MDFA) purchased the property for the state government for approximately $ 1.1 million. With the purchase, the MDFA announced plans to demolish the motel building and add additional parking spaces for state government employees. According to a 2021 report from WLBT ,
3382-618: The "neon era". Many of these signs remain in use to this day. In some motels, a handful of rooms would be larger and contain kitchenettes or apartment-like amenities; these rooms were marketed at a higher price as "efficiencies" as their occupants could prepare food themselves instead of incurring the cost of eating all meals in restaurants. Rooms with connecting doors (so that two standard rooms could be combined into one larger room) also commonly appeared in both hotels and motels. A few motels (particularly in Niagara Falls, Ontario , where
3471-492: The 1920s and 1930s provided running water, picnic grounds, and restroom facilities. Auto camps predated motels by a few years, established in the 1920s as primitive municipal camp sites where travelers pitched their own tents. As demand increased, for-profit commercial camps gradually displaced public campgrounds. Until the first travel trailers became available in the 1930s, auto tourists adapted their cars by adding beds, makeshift kitchens and roof decks. The next step up from
3560-517: The 1970s and 1980s, independent motels were losing ground to chains such as Motel 6 and Ramada, existing roadside locations were increasingly bypassed by freeways, and the development of the motel chain led to a blurring of motel and hotel. While family-owned motels with as few as five rooms could still be found, especially along older highways, these were forced to compete with a proliferation of Economy Limited Service chains. ELS hotels typically do not offer cooked food or mixed drinks; they may offer
3649-597: The American Automobile Association was just one of many credentials eagerly sought by independent motels of the era. Regional guides (such as Official Florida Guide by A. Lowell Hunt or Approved Travelers Motor Courts ) and the food/lodging guidebooks published by restaurant reviewer Duncan Hines ( Adventures in Good Eating , 1936 and Lodging for a Night , 1938) were also valued endorsements. The referral chain in lodging originated in
Sun-n-Sand Motor Hotel - Misplaced Pages Continue
3738-465: The House must be at least 21 years old, while candidates for the Senate must be at least 25 years old. Each house has the authority to judge the qualifications of its own members. The Mississippi Legislature is a citizen legislature ; most legislators have full-time occupations unrelated to their official roles. Members receive a base salary of $ 23,000 per year. As of April 2022, most legislators garnered
3827-494: The Lamar Street edge of both the business and Farish Street districts. The only motor hotel within walking distance of the new Capitol, it housed rural and small-town delegates to the state legislature and served as a site for illicit sex In either 2001 or 2002, the motel closed and many of its physical assets were liquidated via auction. Afterwards, the building was boarded up and became dilapidated . Following its closure,
3916-453: The MDAH declared the motel a Mississippi Landmark, but still gave authorization to the state government to demolish the building. In their decision, the MDAH granted the MDFA permission to begin demolition work on the building starting in June 2020, but expressed hope that the department could develop a new plan that would preserve the building. The MDFA stated that their plans for redevelopment of
4005-562: The Mississippi River) until the 1960s. Both built national supply chain and reservation systems while aggressively removing properties not meeting minimum standards. In 1963, their paths diverged. Quality Courts became Quality Inn , abandoning its former co-operative structure to become a for-profit corporation, use shareholder capital to build entirely company-owned locations, and require its members to become franchisees, while Best Western retained its original member-owned status as
4094-410: The Senate pro tempore . The presiding officers determine the leadership of legislative committees in their own houses. In the event of a tied vote in a joint session , the lieutenant governor is empowered to cast a tie-breaking vote. The constitution gives the state legislature the authority to determine rules of its own proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and expel a member with
4183-516: The Senate and the Ways and Means Committee and Appropriations Committee in the House often exercise significant influence over legislation. Mississippi judges have usually deferred to the legislature on legal questions involving its internal decisions and operations; such things are not subject to regular judicial review . In 2011, 63% of the seats in the legislature had candidates with no significant opposition in upcoming elections. In 2023, that figure
4272-535: The U.S. alone; a typical 50-room motel in that era cost $ 3000 per room in initial construction costs, compared to $ 12,000 per room for metropolitan city hotel construction. By 1950 there were 50,000 motels serving half of the 22 million U.S. vacationers; a year later motels surpassed hotels in consumer demand. The industry peaked in 1964 with 61,000 properties and fell to 16,000 properties by 2012. Many motels began advertising on colorful neon signs that they had "air cooling" (an early term for "air conditioning") during
4361-507: The US National Register of Historic Places . Motels differ from hotels in their location along highways, as opposed to the urban cores favored by hotels, and their orientation to the outside (in contrast to hotels, whose doors typically face an interior hallway). Motels almost by definition include a parking lot, while older hotels were not usually built with automobile parking in mind. Because of their low-rise construction,
4450-629: The United States (1939, U.S. Travel Bureau) specialized in accommodations. Segregation of U.S. tourist accommodation would legally be ended by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and by a court ruling in Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States affirming that Congress' powers over interstate commerce extend to regulation of local incidents (such as racial discrimination in a motel serving interstate travelers) which might substantially and harmfully affect that commerce. The term "motel" originated from
4539-440: The attendance of absent members. Each house elects their own officers. The House of Representatives is led by a speaker, who is elected among the preexisting membership in the House. The Senate is led by the lieutenant governor , who is popularly elected by voters in statewide elections and is ex officio president of the Senate. Second to these officers in their respective houses are the speaker pro tempore and president of
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#17328023960084628-469: The beach-front motel instantly became a success. In major beach-front cities such as Jacksonville, Florida , Miami, Florida , and Ocean City, Maryland , rows of colorful motels such as the Castaways, in all shapes and sizes, became commonplace. The original motels were small, locally owned businesses which grew around two-lane highways which were main street in every town along the way. As independents,
4717-475: The building by the National Trust for Historic Preservation describes it as an example of mid-century modern architecture, with distinctive elements including large plate glass windows and metal screens. The motel had a ballroom , a swimming pool , and a sign that was constructed in either the mid-century modern or Googie style. The total floor area of the building, including the commons areas,
4806-492: The building would be converted into office and meeting spaces. In January 2022, WJTV reported that the MDFA had approved a $ 4.375 million contract for this work. As of July 2022, renovation work was ongoing for the remaining sections of the building and was planned to be completed by 2023. That same month, the sign was removed for restoration work, later being reinstalled in January 2024. Motel A motel , also known as
4895-407: The business risk with the franchisee while franchise corporations profited. Some franchise contracts restricted the franchisee's ability to sell the business as a going concern or leave the franchise group without penalty. For the chain, the franchise model allowed a higher level of product standardization and quality control than was possible as a referral chain model while allowing expansion beyond
4984-490: The case of the 3V Tourist Court in St. Francisville, Louisiana , built in 1938. During the Great Depression, those still traveling (including business travelers and traveling salespeople) were under pressure to manage travel costs by driving instead of taking trains and staying in the new roadside motels and courts instead of more costly established downtown hotels where bell captains , porters , and other personnel would all expect
5073-555: The chain repositioned itself as a mid-price hotel brand. The Twin Bridges Marriott was demolished for parkland in 1990. Many independent 1950s-era motels would remain in operation, often sold to new owners or renamed, but continued their steady decline as clients were lost to the chains. Often the building's design, as traditionally little more than a long row of individual bedrooms with outside corridors and no kitchen or dining hall, left it ill-suited to any other purpose. In
5162-488: The coin-operated Magic Fingers vibrating bed were briefly popular; introduced in 1958, these were largely removed in the 1970s due to vandalism of the coin boxes. The American Hotel Association (which had briefly offered a Universal Credit Card in 1953 as forerunner to the modern American Express card) became the American Hotel & Motel Association in 1963. As many motels vied for their place on busy highways,
5251-565: The demolition work on the building would cost approximately $ 2.095 million. Concerning the site, the group's Chief Preservation Officer Katherine Malone-France said, "The (Sun-N-Sand) has a history that is as vibrant and distinctive as its architecture, and the National Trust believes it can have an even brighter future. ... Reusing and revitalizing the Sun-N-Sand would help the state of Mississippi celebrate its rich history — including
5340-592: The depression as governments attempted to create employment, but the roadside cabin camps were primitive, basically just auto camps with small cabins instead of tents. The 1935 City Directory for San Diego , California, lists "motel"-type accommodations under tourist camps. One initially could stay in the Depression-era cabin camps for less than a dollar per night, but small comforts were few and far between. Travelers in search of modern amenities soon would find them at cottage courts and tourist courts. The price
5429-410: The early 1930s, originally serving to promote cabins and tourist courts. A predecessor of the modern "franchise chain" model, a referral chain was a group of independent motel owners in which each member lodge would voluntarily meet a set of standards and each property would promote the others. Each property would proudly display the group's name alongside its own. United Motor Courts, founded in 1933 by
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#17328023960085518-410: The full-service luxury hotels and the clean-but-plain roadside inns", but largely drew individual travelers from small towns who traditionally supported small roadside motels. International chains quickly followed this same pattern. Choice Hotels created Comfort Inn as an economy limited service brand in 1982. New limited-service brands from existing franchisors provided market segmentation ; by using
5607-467: The head of the state branch of the NAACP, stayed at the motel. While staying at the motel, Henry was involved in a long-term homosexual relationship that was common knowledge to other residents and workers at the motel, including other politicians. Partially concerning this relationship and the motel in general, historian John Howard wrote in a 1999 history book, The Sun-n-Sand was a hybrid space, situated on
5696-427: The hot summers or were "heated by steam" during the cold winters. A handful used novelty architecture such as wigwams or teepees . The 1950s and 1960s was the pinnacle of the motel industry in the United States and Canada. As older mom-and-pop motor hotels began adding newer amenities such as swimming pools or color TV (a luxury in the 1960s), motels were built in wild and impressive designs. In-room gimmicks such as
5785-471: The last three days of a session. Most bills are passed by a simple majority vote of each chamber. Any revenue bill or measure that alters the assessment of taxable property requires the approval of three-fifths of legislators present and voting. Every bill passed by both houses is signed by the presiding officers of each house. The Mississippi Legislature has the power to write state laws and craft appropriations to fund state government. All bills passed by
5874-495: The legislature become law unless vetoed by the governor, though the body may override the veto with the approval two-thirds of the members of each House. The legislature has the power to convene hearings to investigate any matter it desires. Unable to compel testimony from any individual in such instances, or prosecute crimes, or enforce any other desired outcome, such hearings are usually held only to gather information to aid in policy-making and budgeting decisions. The legislature
5963-415: The legislature into a special session to a consider a specific issue of the governor's choosing. Since 1903, the legislature has met in the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson . One house cannot adjourn its proceedings for over three days without the agreement of the other. A basic majority of one house's members constitutes a quorum to do business, though a smaller group can convene and vote to compel
6052-459: The maximum practical size of a tightly held ownership chain. In some cases, loosely knit ownership chains (such as Travelodge ) and referral chains (such as Quality Courts, founded in 1939 by seven motel operators as a non-profit referral system) were converted to franchise systems. Quality Courts (1939) and The Best Western Motels (1946) were both originally referral chains and largely marketed together (as Quality Courts were predominantly east of
6141-450: The motel could appear anywhere on the vast network of two-lane highways. Motels are typically constructed in an I-, L-, or U-shaped layout that includes guest rooms; an attached manager's office; a small reception; and in some cases, a small diner and a swimming pool. A motel was typically single-story with rooms opening directly onto a parking lot, making it easy to unload suitcases from a vehicle. A second story, if present, would face onto
6230-549: The motel, "We have passed many important measures because of our conversations after hours in the Sun-n-Sand". Representative Steve Holland similarly noted the significance of the motel in Mississippi politics during a 2009 interview with the Associated Press , saying, "Everything you ever needed to know about what's going on, you could find out at the breakfast table. ... Hell, if you didn't know it, you could start
6319-667: The motels under one common brand. Alamo Plaza Hotel Courts , founded 1929 in East Waco, Texas , was the first such chain with seven motor courts by 1936 and more than twenty by 1955. With Simmons furniture, Beautyrest mattresses on every bed, and telephones in every room, the Alamo Plaza rooms were marketed as "tourist apartments" under a slogan of "Catering to those who care." In 1935, building contractor Scott King opened King's Motor Court in San Diego, California , renaming
6408-420: The need for inexpensive, easily accessible overnight accommodation sites close to the main routes led to the growth of the motel concept. Motels peaked in popularity in the 1960s with rising car travel, only to decline in response to competition from the newer chain hotels that became commonplace at highway interchanges as traffic was bypassed onto newly constructed freeways . Several historic motels are listed on
6497-525: The number of rooms which would fit on any given amount of land was low compared to the high-rise urban hotels which had grown around train stations. This was not an issue in an era where the major highways became the main street in every town along the way and inexpensive land at the edge of town could be developed with motels, car dealerships, fuel stations, lumber yards, amusement parks, roadside diners, drive-in restaurants, theaters, and countless other small roadside businesses. The automobile brought mobility and
6586-618: The original property Travelodge in 1939 after having built two dozen more simple motel-style properties in five years on behalf of various investors. He incorporated and expanded the entire chain under the TraveLodge banner after 1946. In 1937, Harlan Sanders opened a motel and restaurant as Sanders Court and Café alongside a fuel station in Corbin, Kentucky ; a second location was opened in Asheville, North Carolina , but expansion as
6675-412: The other, and must be read by its title on three different days in each house, unless two-thirds of the house vote to suspend the rules. The Mississippi Constitution prohibits amending a bill to change its original purpose. Bills amended in the second house, must return it to the first for a vote to accept amendments. All bills must be considered by a committee in each house. No bills can be introduced in
6764-671: The outskirts of towns that were as quirky as their owners. Auto camps continued in popularity through the Depression years and after World War II, their popularity finally starting to diminish with increasing land costs and changes in consumer demands. In contrast, though they remained small independent operations, motels quickly adopted a more homogenized appearance and were designed from the start to cater purely to motorists. In town, tourist homes were private residences advertising rooms for auto travelers. Unlike boarding houses , guests at tourist homes were usually just passing through. In
6853-506: The property as a parking lot for government employees. In 2019, the government purchased the property and announced plans to demolish the building and convert the lot into additional parking spaces. This prompted outcry from many state historians and led to the motel being declared a Mississippi Landmark by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and being added to the National Trust for Historic Preservation 's list of America's Most Endangered Places in 2020. Despite this, much of
6942-587: The quality of accommodation varied widely from one lodge to another; while a minority of these properties were inspected or rated by the American Automobile Association and Canadian Automobile Association (which have published maps and tour book directories of restaurants and rooms since 1917), no consistent standard stood behind the "sanitized for your protection" banner. There was no real access to national advertising for local motels and no nationwide network to facilitate reservation of
7031-447: The site would see the sign and certain parts of the building, such as the ballroom and commons areas, preserved. Additionally, the sign would be restored and re-electrified. Other additional items, such as historical light fixtures, were also expected to be saved from demolition. In September 2020, the National Trust for Historic Preservation added the site to its list of America's Most Endangered Places . The National Trust estimated that
7120-468: The state constitution with the approval of two-thirds of the members of each house, subject to ratification in a popular referendum. Bills typically have to be passed out of committee before being passed by the legislature. A chair of a committee can choose not to bring up the bill for a vote before the committee or a full house and thus let it expire. The chairs of the Finance Committee in
7209-400: The story of ongoing racial reconciliation represented by 'Wednesdays in Mississippi' — while putting the building back into use in a way that could create jobs and stimulate economic growth". In October 2020, local television station WJTV reported that preliminary demolition work had begun on the motel, though later reporting from WLBT stated that the structure was not being demolished at
7298-482: The structure was demolished by February 2021, with only the sign and some of the commons areas preserved, with the intent of converting the latter into office and meeting spaces. Sources differ slightly on the architectural style of the motel. In a 2019 article in the Jackson Free Press , the motel is described as "a rare example of International-style modernism in Jackson", though a 2021 analysis of
7387-414: The time and that the work being performed was asbestos removal . Structural demolition began in 2021, with the first round of demolition being completed by February of that year. Following this initial demolition work, MDFA Project Director Paula Young said that "select demolition" would take place inside of the remaining structure to prepare it for later renovations. According to Young, the remaining part of
7476-571: The travel trailer was the cabin camp, a primitive but permanent group of structures. During the Great Depression , landholders whose property fronted onto highways built cabins to convert unprofitable land to income; some opened tourist homes . The (usually single-story) buildings for a roadside motel or cabin court were quick and simple to construct, with plans and instructions readily available in how-to and builder's magazines. Expansion of highway networks largely continued unabated through
7565-564: Was at least 60,000 square feet (5,600 m). The Sun-n-Sand Motor Hotel, located at 401 North Lamar Street, was opened in 1960 by Dumas Milner, a Mississippi businessman, who named the motel after another one that he owned in Biloxi, Mississippi . In addition to the Sun-n-Sand properties, Milner also owned and operated the King Edward Hotel in Jackson. In 1965, the motel opened one of the first bars in Jackson after prohibition
7654-538: Was at the time a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives , wrote A Time to Kill while living in the motel. Located near the Mississippi State Capitol , the new motel became a popular housing option for several members of the Mississippi Legislature during legislative sessions . Legislators could rent rooms at the motel on a monthly basis, and, according to journalist Keisha Rowe of The Clarion-Ledger , it served as an "informal meeting site" where elected officials could discuss political matters. Following
7743-412: Was built in 1925. The term referred to a type of hotel consisting of a single building of connected rooms whose doors faced a parking lot and in some circumstances, a common area or a series of small cabins with common parking. Motels are often individually owned, though motel chains do exist. As large highway systems began to be developed in the 1920s, long-distance road journeys became more common, and
7832-617: Was higher, but the cabins had electricity, indoor bathrooms, and occasionally a private garage or carport. They were arranged in attractive clusters or a U-shape. Often, these camps were part of a larger complex containing a filling station, a café, and sometimes a convenience store. Facilities like the Rising Sun Auto Camp in Glacier National Park and Blue Bonnet Court in Texas were "mom-and-pop" facilities on
7921-402: Was repealed in the city. According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation , the motel was "a fixture of downtown Jackson", and it is referenced in several works of literature that are set in the city, including Willie Morris 's My Cat Spit McGee and Kathryn Stockett 's The Help . Additionally, Morris wrote his book New York Days while staying at the motel, and John Grisham , who
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