The Star Lite Motel is a historic
motel
A motel, also known as a motor hotel, motor inn or motor lodge, is a hotel designed for motorists, usually having each room entered directly from the Parking lot, parking area for motor vehicles rather than through a central Lobby (room), lo ...
building in
Dilworth, Minnesota
Dilworth is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 4,612 at the time of the 2020 census. Dilworth is one of the core cities of the Fargo–Moorhead metro area; it is on the eastern border of Moorhead. Dilworth is ...
. It is one of the oldest buildings in Dilworth, and it was the oldest motel in
Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman:
* Clay County, Alabama
* Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County)
* Clay County, Fl ...
. Earlier it was known as Charley's Motel.
A previous owner, William Donovan created the "Star Lite" neon sign that is regarded as the motel's most noteworthy feature.
Architecture
The motel was blue colored, L-shaped, and in a specific 1950s motel architecture style, with a red neon sign on the end of the building by the road. The sign's architectural style was recognized as historic by numerous 1950s motel historians and passersby. The motel was a single-story edifice surrounded by a large parking lot and empty fields.
History
Hotel was built in 1950s. Originally opened in 1959 as Charley’s Motel by Vivian Tang and she operated it until the
William
William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...
and Rozeana Donovan bought it in 1971 and renamed it to Star Lite. The motel operated until 2021 when it was permanently closed. William and Rozeana Donovan retired and moved to Moorhead and sold motel to Rick Halvorson. A large section of the motel has since been razed although the neon sign and a few rooms nearest to the office were kept. In 2024, new 7,500-square-foot building northeast of the original Star Lite Motel was constructed and entire motel was reopened as
StarLite Pet Motel by owner Katie Olson.
See also
*
List of motels
This is a list of motels. A motel is lodging designed for driving, motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles. Entering dictionary, dictionaries after World War II, the word motel, coined in 1925 as a portmanteau of ''motor'' and ...
*
References
External links
*
Motelat
Wikimapia
* {{Cite web , title=Star Lite Motel , url=https://www.placesofamerica.com/hotels/102/1022455_Star_Lite_Motel_Minnesota_Dilworth.html , access-date=2025-02-05 , website=www.placesofamerica.com
Motels in the United States
1950s architecture in the United States
Fargo–Moorhead
Hotels in Minnesota
Buildings and structures in Clay County, Minnesota