The sign for the Motel Washoe has been taken down. It was located in the Washoe Valley, right along Hwy 395 in New Washoe City. It survived several years after the motel itself was torn down. Years of rust finally made the sign crumple on itself, and persons unknown removed it and carried it away in late May, 2010.
On Flickr, photographer ussiwojima was able to get a picture of it in its last weeks, after it had started crumpling under its own weight.
Here is a link to some of my night pictures of the sign from last fall. I almost never stop anywhere during the drive from Carson to Reno, but now I’m glad I made this stop last year.
I’ve also created a gallery on Flickr made up of pictures of the sign, taken by a wide variety of photographers.
Last month while coming home from Reno during a pretty serious “wind event”, we noticed that it had become detached from one of its poles and was swinging around wildly- I doubt it lasted through the day. Goodbye, Motel Washoe sign!!
Yeah, it became damaged in the 90-mph wind day in late April. It remained there for quite some time afterward, though turned about 90 degrees from the direction it had been in.
When you think about it you realize that some signs are considered eyesores and should probably come down. But you know in your gut that you’ll miss it when it’s gone. This is one of them.
I think my favorite comment about the sign came from Flickr:
“Stop in for a free murdering!”
CHANGE IS GOOD-FORTUNATELY IT IS PART OF GROWTH-THE PAST IS THE PAST.