Thunderbird Motel (Seattle, WA) – This shot from 2006 has a special place in my heart because it was my first ever vintage sign photograph. Known as the Fremont Inn during its more recent history, this two-story, wood-frame motel was built in 1956 along a then-thriving strip of Seattle’s Aurora Avenue. Fast forward 50+ years and this once family-friendly motel had become a well-known center for prostitution, drug activity and violent criminals. Officially designated by local police as a “chronic-nuisance property” in 2010, it was (sadly, for me anyway) demolished in 2012 to make way for a new low-income apartment building. As for the sign itself, newspaper reports say that it was given to an unnamed neighbor who plans to restore it. I sure hope that’s true – I’d love to see what condition it’s in these days.
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