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Main Street to Miracle Mile
This book was first published in 1985; Chester Liebs’
Main Street to Miracle Mile shows the evolution of the roadside
landscape as it became a subject of study. The commercialization of the
roadside and the evolution of roadside commercial architecture are
aspects of the automobile culture that has remained neglected up until
the findings of Liebs.
Liebs traces the transformation of commercial development as it moved
from its centralized main street, along the trolley lines, to form the
roads, supermarkets, and shopping malls we have today. He explores the
evolution of roadside buildings as well, motels, drive-in theaters and
gas stations are all great examples. When reading, you begin to get a
historical perception of how to understand landscapes, and with this,
Liebs has inspired many studies, exhibits and preservation efforts to
embody the ideas of roadside architecture.
He begins this book by showing the decentralization of
retail trade from Main Street to wayside retail business accompanying
improved roads. The 1920s led the revolution of roadside commerce. The
final stage in this evolving landscape was the roadside commercial strip
which became the “Miracle Mile,” which was a result of building
superhighways and regional shopping centers following the Second World
War. He tells of how the architectural styles have changed over the 20th
century and how they went from a domestic look to the more modernized
“high tech” look. This is important to understand as it conveys to the
motorists the commercial functions of buildings. In this book, Liebs
provides us with separate chapters on those buildings that the common
motorist passes by and does not think twice about how it has evolved in
the time of the automobile. Showrooms, gasoline stations, supermarkets,
miniature golf courses, drive-in theaters, motels and restaurants are
all the chapters that he has broke down in roadside architecture.
Liebs does a great job in showing the revolution of the
roadside and his body of work is very concise. With this literature he
includes 17 color and 252 black and white illustrations. These pictures
are original photos taken by the author in his travel doing field
research. I think that Liebs’ photos allow the reader to better
understand the importance of the landscape as you would see it through
the windshield of your car. He portrays the windshield as a lens, or a
movie screen. This is a very interesting concept but one that everyone
should take into account the next time they ride in a vehicle. The book
is based on this principal, to see the roadside landscape as a movie,
and if you do this, you will indeed capture the essence and beauty of
the roadside. The historical significance is shown throughout the book
also; it shows that commercialization and the invention of the
automobile have propelled the human culture to a new level.
Liebs Main Street to Miracle Mile: American Roadside is an
interesting book as it provides a look into a certain aspect of culture
that most people pass without thought. This book can give a new meaning
to roadside architecture and I feel that this book captured its
intentions, to show the audience that the roadside landscape is historic
and most of the time unnoticed.
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