Auto Court?

I had been seeing a sign for the "Benson Historic Auto Court" when driving into town... I thought, "It's a motel, big deal!" - by what I remember, a motel is just a lodging place where you can park right outside your room.

The sign

Well... it *is* a motel, but there are spaces next to each room for you to park your car under a carport-type structure.

So, is an "auto court" equivalent to a "motel"?
Dictionary.com says they are synonyms.
Wikipedia says that they were a separate thing from Motels.

Isn't it interesting how the industry has changed from the 1930s until now?!?!?