Rumors have it these were novelty guest houses in the UFO-crazed 1950s. When driving on Highway 12 along the desolate stretch of desert road, travelers might have noticed strange, saucer-shaped structures that dotted the landscape. These were no ordinary motels or inns; rather, they were inspired by the growing fascination with flying saucers and extraterrestrial life that captured the public imagination during that era.

In the post-World War II period, the United States experienced a surge in interest in UFOs, largely due to the media coverage of sightings and government reports that hinted at something otherworldly. This was the time of the “flying saucer” phenomenon, and towns across America, particularly in the West, capitalized on the craze, creating UFO-themed architecture to attract tourists, curious travelers, and the ever-growing crowd of UFO enthusiasts.

Along Highway 12, several small towns boasted these kitschy, flying saucer-shaped guest houses. The buildings themselves were often made of prefabricated materials and designed with exaggerated, futuristic features. Their rounded, metal-like exteriors and unconventional shapes made them look as if they could indeed house aliens or be some sort of secret government project. They were marketed as “space-age accommodations” and sold the dream of stepping into an extraterrestrial world, offering a unique blend of post-war optimism and cold war anxiety.

These UFO-inspired guest houses were not just about appearance; they often embraced the otherworldly theme inside as well. Interiors were decorated with vintage space-age furniture, chrome fixtures, and sometimes even glowing neon lights, creating an immersive experience for those seeking a taste of the unknown. Guests could enjoy a cup of coffee in a diner that resembled a spaceship’s mess hall or rent a room that promised to take them “out of this world” for the night.

The craze was short-lived, however. As the 1960s dawned and the space race escalated, interest in flying saucers began to fade. Newer architectural styles replaced the outdated, alien-inspired designs, and many of these novelty guest houses fell into disrepair. Some were demolished, while others quietly faded into obscurity, their odd structures left to gather dust in forgotten corners of the American landscape.

Today, only a few remnants of this UFO-fueled era remain, hidden in the shadows of modern highways and cities. They serve as curious relics of a time when the fascination with space exploration and extraterrestrials briefly collided with American road-trip culture, offering a brief glimpse into an era where the line between fantasy and reality seemed a little thinner.