Roadside America - Tennessee Motels, circa 1950s

Lloyd's Alamo Plaza Court Motel, Shelbyville, Tennessee, circa 1950s

Cleveland Motor Court Motel, Cleveland, Tennessee postcard, circa 1950s

Can't get away this summer? Yearn for an earlier time when the pace was slower, life was simpler? 

Why not slip away to Tennessee for a few days and at the end of a long day pull into a roadside motel offering, as does Lloyd's in Shelbyville, electric heat - wait, no!, we need air-conditioning!!! - tile baths, and Beautyrest mattresses for a good night's sleep. 

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Roadside America - Embers Motel Coffee Shop Cars Paris Texas 1960s postcard

Embers Motel Coffee Shop Cars Paris Texas 1960s postcard

Roadside America - White's Motel Court Gettysburg Pennsylvania 1954 linen postcard

White's Motel Court Gettysburg Pennsylvania 1954 linen postcard

Near to the entrance to the National Cemetery at the Gettysburg civil war battlefield, White's Motor Court offered 23 Modern Units with all conveniences - Radio and thermostatically controlled heat. May as well leave the cell phones and iPads at home....

Roadside America - 7 Gables Motel Restaurant Lake Cumberland Burnside Kentucky linen postcard

 7 Gables Motel & Restaurant Burnside Kentucky linen postcard

Visiting Lake Cumberland, KY in the 1950s? Why not pull off US Highway 27 at Burnside and stay the night - comfortable beds, tile baths, air conditioned restaurant open 5 am to 10 pm, serving the finest food in the South.

Roadside America Linen Postcards - Route 66 - Zuni Motor Lodge Albuquerque New Mexicod

Zuni Motor Lodge Route 66 Albuquerque New Mexico linen postcard

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Heading west on Route 66 we hit Albuquerque's Zuni Motor Lodge with its adobe-inspired architecture and a restaurant offering fried chicken, filet mignon, and Baked Virginia ham, with no mention of South-west cuisine. Some things have changed for the better.

Roadside America Linen Postcards - Route 66 - Rock Village Court Springfield Missouri postcard

Rock Village Court Route 66 Springfield MO linen postcard

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Get your kicks on Route 66... more linen postcards from the highway.

Roadside America Linen Postcards - Paul's Tourist Hotel Court Chattanooga Tennessee

 Paul's Tourist Hotel Court Chattanooga Tennessee linen postcard, circa 1950s

A multi view postcard might give the traveler a fuller picture of what they might expect if they pulled off US 41 on their way into Chattanooga.

Roadside America Linen Postcards - Bel-Air Motel, New Orleans, Louisiana

Bel-Air Motel, New Orleans, Louisiana linen postcard (click on image for larger view)

In town for Mardi Gras? Then perhaps we can put you up at the Bel-Air motel on Gentilly Highway, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Roadside America Linen Postcards - Colonial Cottages Gulfport Mississippi

Colonial Cottages, Gulfport Mississippi linen postcad. Click on image for larger view

Why not sit awhile at the entrance to the Colonial Cottages motel in Gulfport Mississippi, watching the travelers arrive and depart? Heat and humidity getting to you? Why, then, you can amble inside and recline near one of the electric fans so prominently advertised on the sign overhanging the motel entrance.

Roadside America Linen Postcards - Maple Motel Nashville Tennessee

Maple Motel Nashville Tennessee linen postcard, circa 1950s (click on image for larger view)

Roadside America linen postcards are a popular collecting category. The vivid colors and sharp details of the linen cards certainly catch the eye. Seeing this view of the Maple Motel outside Nashville might have tempted one to stay there overnight. Of course, most guests would see the card once they'd checked into their room, rested awhile, and thought about sending a postcard to family or friends to advise of their journey's progress. Today, postcards are not much considered as a means of communication with a text message, cell call, or email being the preferred line of communication for the roadside traveler.

Curt Teich Publishing Co Marketing Sampler

A Curt Teich Publishing Co marketing sampler for postcards in the form of a postcard folder distributed to the hospitality industry - hotel/motels, restaurtants, bars and the like - to encourage them to stock the company's postcards for sale or as giveaways to guests: (Click on images for full view)