Mark Okrant - No Vacancy: The Rise, Demise, and Reprise of Americas Motels

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As a child of the 1950s and 1960s,I had the good fortune of engaging in numerous touring trips in the backseat ofmy parents Henry J and Fairlane 500 automobiles. During annual, one weekvacations, we traveled as far north as Quebec City, south to Luray, Virginia,east to Cape Cod, and west to Niagara Falls, frequenting diners and roadsideattractions along the way. On these trips, motels and motor courts were ourovernight accommodations. These early adventures engendered my life-long loveof geography, tourism, and motels. I cannot begin to properly thank all of the individualswho have contributed, in various ways, to No Vacancy, which is a manifestationof that passion. Ill begin with my parents, Ethyle and Reuben, and my terrificbrother, Bruce. Next, I must thank the creator of the treatise on motels, JohnJakle, whose book, The Motel in America, is never far from my thoughts. Thereare numerous people who sat for extended periods of time while I interviewedthem for Sleeping, including Ron Clausen, Jean Ginn, Rita Grote, EdHogan, Annette Johnson, Jim Kenny, Hope Makris, the late Della Rose May, PatMay, Tim Tyrrell, Bettye Vaughen, and Chick and Nancy Vusvunis. Otherscontributed either by writing important pieces, taking photographs, makingsketches, being resource persons, agreeing to interviews, and serving asguides. Foremost among these are Fred and Maureen Clausen, Amos Desfosses, LauraHodgdon, Katheryn Kelly, Ken Preston, Jerry Stefani, Maggie Stier, John Weiss, andJeff Wignall. Others who were important resource persons include KaisaBarthuli, Karl Eberhard, Jane Edgecomb, R. Sean Evans, Chris Fogg, JoanneHudson, Bryon Middlekauff, and Karan Patel. All of the stalwarts who workedwith me to develop the Retrotour concept are owed a huge debt of gratitude.Foremost among these are Thaddeus Guldbrandsen, Benoni Amsden, and AliceDeSouza; also, Jessica Kellogg, Van McLeod, Julie Piehn, Chris Williams, andKatie York. Editors are a vital part of any book, and mine are outstanding:Mary Desfosses, and my wonderful familyMarla, Robyn, and Elisabeth Okrant; allare outstanding wordsmiths.