Postcard featuring the Northwold Autel near Poplar Bluff, Missouri, shown as a roadside motor court with an adjoining one-stop service station. The colorful exterior view shows the motel office, guest-room buildings arranged around the drive, an American flag, landscaped grounds, and an inset view of the restaurant and service station.
This card documents the Northwold Autel during the era when automobile travel helped transform American lodging. Unlike traditional downtown hotels, motor courts were designed around motorists, typically offering convenient parking and easy access to individual rooms.
The main image shows the property's two-story office building and rows of guest accommodations surrounding a broad automobile court. The inset image adds another element of roadside travel history by showing the property's restaurant and Autel service station.
The reverse describes the Northwold as an “outstanding court” and emphasizes conveniences aimed specifically at motorists. Particularly interesting is the mention of locked garages adjacent to the guest rooms, an amenity closely associated with early motor courts.
The card also advertises television in the lounge, along with telephones and radios in the rooms. These details provide a snapshot of the amenities travelers were offered during the period.
The reverse specifically states that the property was “AAA, AMTA and Duncan Hines recommended.” This is an interesting feature for collectors of American travel and hospitality ephemera, as such recommendations were prominently advertised by roadside businesses seeking to reassure travelers about accommodations and services.
The front also preserves signage for the restaurant and service station, giving the card crossover interest beyond motel collecting.
The reverse identifies James Hendrickson of Poplar Bluff, Missouri as the publisher and carries card number 12,839F.
The card has the textured appearance and color treatment associated with linen-era postcards. No specific printing company or named printing process is identified on the card, so none is attributed here.
This postcard may appeal to collectors of Poplar Bluff and Missouri history, motels and motor courts, roadside America, service stations, automobile travel, Duncan Hines memorabilia, AAA-related travel material, lodging architecture and linen postcards.
The combination of motel, restaurant, service station, roadside signage and detailed advertising copy makes it an especially interesting record of the automobile-oriented hospitality industry.
Pre-owned postcard with age-related wear. Visible features include light corner and edge wear, toning/soiling and surface wear. There are handwritten pencil markings on the reverse, including “1952” near the upper right, a small numeral above it, and a larger pencil line/mark near the upper center. The card is unused with no stamp, postmark, address or correspondence.
Please use eBay’s magnifier/zoom feature to carefully inspect both sides for edge wear, corners, creases, bends, surface issues, writing, stains, discoloration, paper loss, album residue, scratches, impressions and other imperfections. Photos are an important part of the condition description.