By 1946, the signs had become so ubiquitous that singer Merle Travis recorded a song called "No Vacancy," which reached No. 3 on the country charts.

You’ve been driving for a good chunk of the day, you’re pulling into an unfamiliar town, and you need a place to stay for the night. Happily, there’s a comforting ...

The “(No) Vacancy” sign, a beacon of hospitality and/or disappointment, has greeted road-weary American travelers for generations.