#349 - Scott Shady Court in Winnemucca

Retro Sign

In the summer of 2024, Don and I spotted this dandy sign in Winnemucca, Nevada.

Our road trip conveniently took us through the curious town, with the curious name... with lots of curious signs.

The Griddle in 2024

We saw 2 great signs that morning in Winnemucca.

We had just finished eating some Good Cookin' at The Griddle, when spotted the bright motel sign. 

More Signs

We followed the big arrow and drove 2 blocks, towards this sweet motel oasis. 

We continued right past the motel office (with yet another colorful sign) and stopped at the end of the road.

I hopped out of the car and admired the bold letters with unlit neon. The mountains added some extra drama. 

​Quiet Office

I quickly texted our son. I knew Scott would appreciate a photo of a motel with his name. Then I headed for the office, to learn more about this vintage place. 

The sign on the office roof was a bit worn, but the placed seemed bright and welcoming. I tried the door. Locked.

I ran around to the back door, which was also locked.

But when I looked through the glass, the tidy lobby told me not to fear. This retro motel was clearly still in business. 

Play & Sleep

Don sat in the car patiently, while I happily gave myself a tour. My eyes were drawn to a row of motel rooms, with pointy roofs. Their doors and windows looked towards something fun.

Nothing pleases me more than an old fashioned playground, with chains holding up metal swings, with horse faces!

I'm not sure what charmed me more. The vintage playground, or the retro motel design. 

Good-bye Winnemucca

As we headed back on the highway, I eagerly shared all the details, with Don.

As we traveled, I looked up reviews and they were all positive! Rooms were cheap and visitors seemed to love the homey place!

Another Trip 

About 6 months passed and we began planning another trip out west. Only way to book was with the phone. I spoke with the manager, Merry and she was delightful. No need to give a credit card to hold a room. So retro! 

I told Merry that we loved historic motels and hotels. I mentioned that I'd recently bought a vintage postcard featuring the old motor court! The card showed a boxy porte cochere near the office, with a different sign above.. 

The postcard got me excited. I was eager to stay in the steam heated "home away from home"... for the "Rest" of my life!

May 2025
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Don and I arrived on a sunny afternoon, on the last day of May. We pulled up to the office, across from the extended stay units. We spotted a few trucks that could have belonged to contract laborers, mine workers, or drillers...

Why would I say that? Because the website offered special pricing for those hardworking folks!

Time Warp Lobby 
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We stepped inside the spacious lobby and I was transported back in time. Paneling on one side, stacked sandstone on the other.

I loved the  welcoming vibe, with comfy seating near the fireplace. A deer head, kept an eye on the place.

We were greeted at the desk by Elisa and Merry.  

Both were friendly. They seemed excited that we had lots of questions.

Snacks & Rules

Elisa offered us complimentary snacks from a quirky little dish on the counter. There were also dog biscuits, if we'd had a pet.

I took note of the framed sign, near a jar of peppermints. I do appreciate a good sign message. This one had no neon, but I liked the words that went right to the point. $250 fine.

Scott the Cat!

I noticed a kitty curled up on a desk chair!

I inquired. Of course the cat's name was Scott. Love a sweet motel cat!

​Merry the General Manager

Merry was just as chatty in person as she'd been on the phone, when I booked. I asked quite a few questions, even though I'd learned a lot on the motel's website. The site featured stories about the "Elite Staff" at SSC. That was a nice, personal touch. I could read the names of the housekeeping and maintenance staff. Many had worked at SSC for decades. I also learned that Merry lived on site and that she was very excited about their recently renovated, enclosed pool.

I asked about the pool and Merry was sincerely apologetic. The pool was not open, due to some complicated repair issues. However, she was eager to share some pool pictures from her phone. 

Since 1928

I was actually more interested in having Merry fill us in on some of the motel's history. She pointed to some framed images on the wall. I learned that the Scott family began welcoming guests in 1928. I believe the same family still owns the property!

Another vintage image on the wall looked like my postcard. My eyes were drawn to the words on the corner structure and above on the sign. Only later did I notice how the roof sign matched the neon sign at the end of the road. Hmm? 

Joseph and Ida Scott 

Merry pointed out some aerial photos of the property, when it included a farm. Mr. & Mrs. Scott were Swiss immigrants, who once ran a dairy farm on-site. The property later became "Scott Shady Camp" offering guest rooms, a full service station, and a grocery store.

In one of the old wall photos, I could see the zig-zag roofs over the guest rooms. In the other, I could see an old dairy barn, behind the flat-roof units.

Barn Search

After we got our room key, I looked across at the row of extended stay units.

I stepped around behind and spotted 2 old barns. Still there, after all these years!

"Rooms on the Park"

That's what l called the spiffy section of rooms, that overlooked the playground.

There were over a dozen of these rooms.  What a treat to park right in front of the door.

Room 72 for $85 Total

Merry seemed pretty happy to put us in Room 72. She said it was a double queen, with a little more space than some of the others. 

We entered our room, just beneath our own triangular roof. The sandstone veneer and picture window, added some nostalgic appeal.

Vintage Heaven

The room was dated, in the most perfect way. Wood paneling and burgundy bed spreads. A lot of pillows for 2 people!

I loved the golden glow from the hanging lamps in both corners. The mid-century chair was comfy and so were the beds.

There was lots of space. There was a desk and mirror and a built in bench for a suitcase. Don is a big fan of those.

He's also a big fan of a 65-inch TV. The flatscreen and HGTV show did not take us back to the '50s. The microwave and modern fridge didn't either. But we made use of all.

The bathroom was updated just enough. Like the rest of the space, it was spotless. Amelia (of nearly 3 decades) and her housekeeping crew did well.

I know some of the rooms have older sinks and pastel tub tile. That would have been sort of fun, but we appreciated having the space.

Fancy Lock

There were so many signs to enjoy at Scott Shady Court. The signs on the door were also fun.

I needed glasses to read the smallest sign, with directions for using the special lock. I turned the dial (for a moment) so the words read, "Maid Request".

Park View

We opened the drapes for our park view and finished unloading.

Then I took the ice bucket and went exploring,

​Property

I'm not sure why this property just pleased me so. I liked the red mailbox.

I liked the red letters and arrows. "SODA POP ICE"

Lit!
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​I held off getting ice and wandered back to the old sign at the end of the road.

The neon was lit! Except for the last 2 letters of SCOTT. I spoke with one of the housekeepers who was getting into her car. She chuckled over my enthusiasm. We chatted about how difficult it was to get an old neon sign fixed. 

California Rooms!

Towards the back of the property, I spotted a different row of units, with pointy roofs.

Oh man! I suddenly realized these were the original rooms. The cozier rooms, with casement windows and pastel bathroom tile.

Best of all, each room was named for a California town that begins with Santa!  Dang these were cute! But Merry steered us well. They looked tiny  when I viewed photos in reviews.

​Garages

I made lots of discoveries before I got my ice.

I found a whole row of garages! I spotted a car in one and a grill in another. I guess some of the extended stay guests were renting these.

Between Office & Pool

I wandered to the back of the office and admired the Christmas colors. Red trim and bright green leaves.

I walked away from the office, across the playground and came to the pool house.

I found some patio seating and a grill and just enough shade. It was a Friday. Would this patio get some use in the evening?

Playground

I wondered about the old playground and when it was last used. 

There were 3 deep "divots" beneath the swings. How many feet have pushed off the grass, to get the swings started?

The horse swings (and horse on spring) looked brighter than I remembered. Were they freshly painted?

My photo of the tetherball, fails to show that it was brand new. The shadow was hiding the bright colors. I wanted to thank Merry for keeping up with details like this.

I didn't ride the horses, but I eventually tried out a swing. I made sure to add my feet to the many, that helped created the dips in the grass!

Off to Dinner

We didn't get a chance to hang out at SSC in the evening, because we had dinner reservations. We were excited about sharing a Basque meal at one of Martin Hotel's community dining tables. 

We met some interesting people during our evening. We ended up meeting a neon artist... who knew all about the neon sign at Scott Shady Court.  

We were happy and exhausted when we drove back from dinner.  Lots of gabbing for 2 hours!

Motel at Night

It was dark when we returned.

Sadly the  office sign was not glowing.

But the red and green letters were bright at the end of the road. We wondered if we should throw in some money to get Jeff, (the neon artist) out here to fix the dim letters.

We parked near the room and walked to the sign. The balmy night seemed to bring some of the extended stay guests out. Lots of chatting in the wide street. 

It felt like a different era, where neighbors were sitting on porches chatting to each other. 

As we approached our car, we talked to a young couple from Tacoma. They had been camping for a while and were opting for a motel night, with bed and shower.  

Morning

Don and I slept well and rose early.

We walked down the wide road to The Griddle for breakfast.

The Griddle Again
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At breakfast, we met more interesting people, involved in the Murals & Music weekend. 

Who should we end up talking about, but Merry, at Scott Shady Court. One artist knew her. "Merry! She's the best, isn't she?"

Here & There

Our short walk back to the motel offered a few more glimpses of fun things.

We packed up and headed off before Merry got in the office. We drove around town and saw a few more murals that were in progress. The town looked sweet and happy on a Saturday morning on, the first day of June.

What's Notable?

Our stay was plain, simple, sweet and welcoming. For a total of 85 bucks, we enjoyed a spacious retro room, with a view of an old playground. 

For me, all the fun signs made the stay extra memorable!  Cheers to the old neon sign, that must have once been on the office roof!

Honestly, I think my memory or SSC will always be a blend of the motel and the town. What nice people and what a fun step back in time!
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