The Journey Motel Court, located just off Highway 61 in Memphis, Tennessee, opened in the mid-20th century as a classic roadside stop for travelers navigating the Blues Highway. Built during the golden age of motor courts, it featured a central gas station with a carport, a restaurant, and a series of motel rooms, with a distinctive two-story structure that likely housed a garage and living quarters. Catering to the motoring public, it offered affordable lodging and a taste of Southern hospitality, reflecting the era’s car-centric culture.

The motel gained a unique cultural footnote as the setting for Jeff Martin’s 2015 novel, Journey Motel Court: John Hardin Goes to Memphis, where it serves as a backdrop for a fictional tale of time travel and civil rights. By the late 20th century, like many mom-and-pop motels, it fell into decline as interstates rerouted traffic. Now abandoned, its weathered buildings stand as a haunting relic, drawing urban explorers and photographers to capture its faded charm.