Highway 80 was a major highway across the country (see: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_80_in_Arizona) the Jonquil continues in the tradition of being a road trip oasis and a welcoming place for travelers.

Although the jonquil is a flower (a member of the daffodil family) the motel got its name from its founder, John Quill.

It was originally a house and service station (the service station was removed years ago) and John Quill (the motel’s namesake) built the motel to serve cross-country travelers.

Quill and his family operated the Jonquil until the mid 1970s when the area copper mines closed. (note that the motel was only closed for a couple years- other than that it’s been in continuous operation since 1936)

Also of interest: Sterling is one of the founding members of the Backcountry Discovery Routes (https://ridebdr.com/) and is known for his pioneering work in adventure motorcycle filmmaking.