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SALT LAKE CITY — Some may pass by old motels on their daily commute without a second glance, but the lodgings have caught the attention of one local photographer who wants to capture them on film before they disappear.
What started as a fun side project for Justin Field has turned into a race to document motels before they are torn down. He plans to print the photos in a book to share a piece of local history.
"Some people may think this is not necessarily an important thing, but I think it’s very important because it’s not the major moments in history that necessarily define what has happened, it’s the small things — the things you’ve noticed every day while driving home, or may not have noticed. One day those things are going to be gone and when they’re gone they’re gone for good," Field said.
The remaining buildings provide a glimpse into the local 1960s road culture that accompanied instate expansion, he said. The number of lodgings increased with the ease of using roads and motels became an establishment of the time.
“The way the signs are designed you can see the bitter rivalries that were popping up even along the same streets,” he said. “As you’re looking at how they’ve printed the signs you can see some things were added that they’d never anticipated adding."
When the Colonial Motel wanted to advertise their kitchenette, for example, they had to split the word in two because it wouldn't fit on the sign. As travelers progress down the street Field said they could see where the first TV was added, or a phone or pool.
Field said he hopes to include the history of some of the motels in his book, like whether they have been passed down from generation to generation.
“They’re a little seedy these days so it’s a little hard to get in there and find out exactly who the property owners are, but it’s certainly part of my book," he said.
While taking the pictures, he has been able to learn a little about the construction of the lodgings. He found motels from the 1960s were typically relegated to one level and made into an "L" or "U" shape. Some of the motels have intricate designs created to entice travelers.
“My favorites are the ones outside the national parks,” he said. “You can just see the work that was put into them and the pride the people who originally owned them had."
The old motels are currently a hot spot for redevelopment, Field said. He has worked in construction and carpentry.
Field has captured 12 motels on film so far and hopes to document around 48 motels in the Salt Lake Valley for the book, which he plans to donate to local libraries and the Library of Congress upon completion. He takes all of the pictures on film and develops it himself in a dark room in his home.
He would love to have the community submit pictures of when the motels were new for the book, whether the buildings were captured on a vacation or just happened to be in the background.
“Many hands make light work,” Field said. “The more help we can get the more of a chance we have to preserve these moments in time before they’re gone forever."
He is hoping to find support to purchase film and developing chemicals for the project through a campaign on Kickstarter. Backers also have the opportunity to pre-order the book or other prints.
