In today's modern society, our "on the road" accommodations are expected to be full of amenities such as internet service, housekeeping services, breakfast or at least free coffee, reservations by cell phone, swimming pools, exercise rooms and hot tubs to name just a few! But no less than two generations before, these luxuries did not exist! Beginning with the invention of the automobile, America became more and more dependent on this mode of transportation. It provided them with a luxury unknown up until this point in history by giving them a means to travel long distances in relatively short periods of time. As more highways were being built, the average American could travel farther and quicker than ever before.
But long distances required overnight travel thus a place to spend the night was needed. Hotels were available is larger towns but were expensive especially as we entered the years of the Great Depression. One solution was camping on the side of the road or perhaps a farmer's field. To meet the need, "tourist homes and camps" sprouted up whereby people offered rooms for rent to travelers. Between 1930-40 the emergence of the "cottage court or tourist court" appeared and would eventually replace the tourist cabins. They were built specifically for the "motor age" and later offered cafes and fuel stations. In the 1934 movie "It Happened One Night" with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert there is a scene where they stayed in two of these roadside camps to include outside shower facilities.
Although accommodations were rustic for travelers in the 1930's and before it was even worse due to the discriminatory practices against minorities. Many of the tourist homes were not open to minorities, which gave rise to the "Negro Motorist Green Book (1936-1964). This book listed lodgings, restaurants, fuel stations, and barber and beauty salons that had no racial restrictions. Some African-Americans during the Depression opened up their own tourist homes to provide food and/or lodging for travelers of color during the segregationist's era.
After America entered WWII everything from sugar to tires and gasoline was rationed thus greatly restricting luxury travel. After the war, these establishments became known as "motor courts" that evolved into the term "motels." In the 1960's the interstate highways were built for military purposes but also for unhindered travel for civilians as well. By bypassing the cities, the old motor courts began to fall into disrepair as they became obsolete. The younger generation today have little to no memory of these old roadside rest havens that offered so much to early travelers.
On a more local level, if you peruse the Pensacola City Directory in the 1940's you'll find no motels listed, only hotels and "Tourist Camps." However, by the 1950's you would fined such motels as listed in the images below.
A&E Courts
Rear of 2201 North Pace Blvd
No photo - 1959
Anabel Motel
517 West Cervantes Street
Telephone Hemlock 2-5788
1958
Azalea Tourist Hotel
18 West Jackson Street
W. V. Tripp Manager 1948
No Listing 1956
Azalea Motel, Hwy 98, Gulf Breeze, FL
No listing in Pensacola 1956
Bay Bridge Court
916 East Gregory Street
Mary (Macey) Harris 1956
No photo - 1940-1950's
Bay Motel
875 East Gregory
Raymond J. Church
No photo - 1959
Bayside Tourist Park
500 4th Street East Pensacola Heights
Owners Lloyd Earl and Kathleen Browder
Big Oak Motel
3906 Mobile Highway
Woodrow J. Soderlind 1956
No photo - 1956
No listing 1959
Brent Motel
5413 New Palafox Highway
Brentwood Park
Phone # 3-9138
Charles M. Preininger owner 1954
Carlos Court
6685 Mobile Highway
Clarence M. and Mrs. Margaret M. Appleby
No photo - 1959
Cervantes Tourist Home
1600 East LaRua Street
Mrs. Belle Rhodes 1954
No photo - 1954
No listing 1959
Court Chandler
1717 West Cervantes Street
John and Mabel Freundschuh 1956
Highway 90
Circle Motor Lodge
4222 Mobile Highway
Phone # Glendale 5-5601
No photo - 1956
No listing 1959
Court Florida Drive-in Motel
5910 Mobile Hwy 1956
4630 Mobile Hwy 1959
Phone # Glendale 5-8941
Lucille Capers 1956
No photo - 1956
Crosby's Motel
3100 North Alcaniz Street
Corner of Davis & Anderson Street
"South's Finest For Colored"
Frank Crosby
Hemlock 2-2406
1959
Davis Tourist Cottages
3220 Mobile Highway
Minnie L. Davis 1956
No photo - 1956
Deluna Motor Hotel (Vacant Lot)
1801 West Cervantes Street
Owner Mrs. Gladys Workman
Olga Faircloth 1956
Dixie Court Motel
Highway 98
Dixie Court Motel
3676 Mobile Highway
D. F. Livingston 1956
A. D. Livingston 1959
No photo - 1956
Doc's Court Motel
618 77th Avenue
Myrtle Grove
Vertie K. Griffith 1956
D. B. Griffith 1959
No photo - 1956
Evergreen Motor Court (Still there)
3801 West Mobile Highway
Hemlock #3-9133
Owner A. Z. Showman
Fiesta Mar Motel, Pensacola Beach 1950s
No listing 1956
Five Flags Motel
No listing 1956
No listing 1959
Floridian Motel
3801 Mobile Hwy
No photo - 1959
Gaines Motor Court
Graystone Motor Lodge
3543 Mobile Highway
L. B. Adams 1956
John Pollitt 1959
No photo - 1956
Gulf Breeze Cottages
Highway 98
Gulf Breeze, FL
No photo - 1954
Harper's Court Motel
3811 Mobile Highway
Clifford M. Harper 1956
No photo - 1956
No listing 1959
Hi Way 90 Court
4800 Mobile Highway
John E. Laabs
No photo - 1959
Hood's Cottages and Cafe
19 4th Street (EPH)
William A. Freeman 1954
No photo - 1954
No listing 1959
Howard Johnson Motor Inn
4126 Mobile Highway
1960
Ideal Tourist Camp
4920 North Davis Highway in Brent
Catherine V. Soderlind and
Mrs. Jessie E. Lanum 1956
No photo - 1956
Johnson's Court
901 North "V" Street
George M. Johnson
No photo - 1959
Kaymar Court
6250 Mobile Highway
Kuemmel P. and mrs. Mary P. Layman
No photo - 1959
Kehoe's Court Motel
809 North Palafox (or P)
James M. and Mrs Louise H. Kehoe
No photo - 1956
Lakeside Courts and Restaurant
19 4th Street
East Pensacola Heights
Phone # Hemlock 3-1160
John R. Tucker 1956
No photo - 1956
Lion's Motel
3114 North Alcaniz Street
Built 1957, still in operation
Marble Manor Hotel
1700 West Cervantes Street
Phone # Hemlock 3-1196
John and MableFreundschuh 1956
Gilbert A. and Robert Freundschuk 1959
No photo - 1956
Maria Motel
4551 Mobile Highway
Joseph A. and Mrs. Florida M. Ledkins 1956
No photo - 1956
Mayfair Motel (Still there)
4540 Mobile Highway
Owners Icie & Harry Schwartz
Mona Lisa Motel & Coffee Shop (Still there)
4950 West Mobile Highway
6510 Mobile Highway 1959
John M. and Mrs. Gloria C. Lewis 1959
Glendale 5-0336
Owners John & Gloria Lewis
Morton's Motel
4540 Mobile Highway
John J. Morton 1956
Pensacola Motor Lodges and Motel (Still there)
2305 West Cervantes Street (Hwy. 90)
Owners Mr. & Mrs. H. Burt Andrews
Gibson J. and Mrs. Bertha e. Wright 1959
Osceola Ranchcourt Motel (Still there)
4735 West Mobile Highway
1956 has an address 6015 Mobile Highway
Owners Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Brenizer
C. Bruce and Mrs. Merriett Brenizer 1959
Palafox Hotel
422 North Palafox Street
Phone #9341
Palmetto Court Motel (Still there as Relax Inn)
3725 West Mobile Highway
Owner Verne D. Velliquette
Verne D. Velliquette 1959
Pensacola Court
1601 West Cervantes Street and
726 North "K" Street
Lehman Chadwick Moran 1956
No photo - 1956
Pensacola Court Motel
726 North "K" Street
No photo 1959
Pensacola Tourist Hotel
215 West Cervantes Street
Mrs. Ann E. Burleson
No photo - 1959
Phipot's Old English Cottages and Coffee Shop (Torn down)
#18 4th Street (EPH)
Located across Bayou Texar at Boat Launch parking lot
1942 Managed by Harold H. Watts and owned
by Pensacola Mayor Roy S. and Isabell H. Philpot
Hemlock 8-5668
Philpot's Cottages and Restaurant
Pine Hurst Tourist Court
Mobile Highway
Frank R. Richards 1954
No photo - 1954
No listing 1959
Rafter's Motor Court
4525 Mobile Highway
Rural Deliver 2 Box 5
William E. and Mrs. Velma G. McAllister 1956
No photo - 1956
Rancho Villa Court
6624 Mobile Highway
No photo - 1959
Riviera Court
3621 Mobile Highway
Mrs. Marjorie M. Smith 1956
No photo - 1956
Above and Below
Robinson's Tourist Court
327 4th Street (EPH)
Highway US 90
1940's
Royal Arms Motel
3730 Mobile Highway
Hemlock 8-0880
Floyd Langford 1956
O. Guy Sorrell 1959
Hemlock 8-0880
No photo - 1956
Royal Ranch Court
4448 Mobile Highway
Owners Mrs. Minnie M. and Royal J. Untriener (later Sheriff)
Scenic Bay Court on Scenic Highway
417 4th Street (EPH)
Proprietor L. F. LaBounty
Pensacola Beach Surf 'n Sand Cottages
Pensacola Beach Surf 'n Sand Cottages 1954
Pensacola Town House Motor Hotel (Torn down)
16 West Cervantes Street
Owners Mr & Mrs. W. A. Head
Pensacola Town House Motor Hotel
Pensacola Trailer Court
4330 Mobile Highway
Leonard W. Coe
No photo - 1956
Tourist Inn Motel
212 West Cervantes
Anne Burleson Manager 1956
Mrs. Belle W. Partridge Manager 1959
No photo - 1956
Town House Motor Hotel
16 West Cervantes Street
Willis A. Head
No photo - 1959
Traveler's Tourist Home
222 West Cervantes Street
Phone #3763
1940's
Wagon Wheel Court
3300 North Pace Boulevard
Hemlock 3-9133
1955
Wayside Court Motel
719 East Gregory Street
Laurence (Lawrence) Herbert 1956
No photo - 1956
1920-1930's Early car camping
1920-1930's Early car camping
Early Tourist Lodge 1930's, New Georgia
Photo by Marion Post Wolcott (cabin in South Carolina)