Historic AG Gaston Motel Takes Another Step Toward Renovation

BIRMINGHAM, AL — One of the most iconic buildings in Birmingham has taken another step toward renovation, as Mayor Randall Woodfin joined representatives from the city and the National Park Service to light the iconic A.G. Gaston Motel sign Thursday, marking the completion of Phase 1 of the restoration of the historic site.

The A.G. Gaston Motel is included in the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, which was established in 2017 by President Barack Obama. A multi-phase restoration began in 2019 on the 1954 wing of the hotel. This wing includes Room 30, known as the “War Room,” where Project C was conceived by the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights leaders. Exterior restoration of the 1954 wing is now complete.

“The A.G. Gaston motel sign served as a beacon to black families traveling through the segregated South,” Mayor Woodfin said. “It’s a sign that will now shine in remembrance of Dr. A.G. Gaston’s legacy – a legacy of Black prosperity, equal opportunity, Southern hospitality and freedom.”

The original “Z” shaped sign on the motel was reconstructed and installed using historic photographs as a guide. Original 1954 drawings of the motel building exist but do not contain information about the original sign.

The size of the sign was determined by identifying clues in the photos, such as counting brick courses and alignments with the building soffit. The lighting of the reconstructed sign is LED, which will have a longer service life and consume less energy while capturing much of the character of the original neon sign.

Phase 2 restoration is currently underway on the exterior of the 1968 wing and courtyard of the motel. Work is expected to be complete in early summer 2022.