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Main Street to Miracle Mile: American Roadside Architecture
First published in 1985, Chester Liebs' Main Street to Miracle Mile established the twentieth-century roadside landscape as a subject for serious study. Liebs traces the transformation of commercial development as it has moved from centralized main streets, out along the street car lines, to form the "miracle miles" and shopping malls of today. He also explores the evolution of roadside buildings, from supermarkets and motels to automobile showrooms and drive-in theaters. Both an historical survey and invaluable guide for reading highway landscapes, this classic work―which has inspired numerous studies, museum exhibits, and preservation efforts―is now back in print with new commentary by the author.
269 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 13, 2014
In Chester H. Liebs’ Main Street to Miracle Mile: American Roadside Architecture, Liebs chronicles the transformation of roadside cultural landscapes from the turn of the century main streets to the “miracle mile” highway strips of the interwar and postwar eras. Setting the stage with large themes about American “space” and image” to generalize patterns of technological innovations and cultural responses relating to changes in automobile culture, Liebs then moves on to discuss different architecture developments by “type” including auto showrooms, gas stations, supermarkets, miniature golf courses, drive-in theaters, motels, and restaurants. This organization works well for him as he continually refers back to and identifies the broad patterns laid out in the beginning of the book during his “type” chapter analysis.
Liebs explains why the term “miracle mile” has been used to describe twentieth century highway strips as follows: the “almost instantaneous transformation of some stretch of highway at the edge of the town into a bustling shopping corridor was viewed by a society long conditioned by depression and war as an economic event of miraculous proportions” (29). Thus the economic success and boom of roadside architecture has a miraculous and positive effect on American society and culture. He later cleverly concludes his book with a witty saying that the miracle mile’s presence can be equated to the time “when Big Macs replaced smokestacks as an icon of American prosperity” (227). Repeated, predictable landscapes provided uniform, reliable products that at first gave Americans pride and comfort. As Liebs summarizes it: the “fast-food entrepreneurs adhered to the same formula that governed the chain motel: the best surprise was no surprise” (214).
But as is common to landscapes of repetition and quick economic success, criticism soon followed in the wake. In the latter half of the twentieth century, critics of roadside architecture lamented them as “eyesores” detracting from “neighborhood” communities. Thus the ambivalent paradox so common in patterns of landscape—such as suburban developments—arose in roadside architecture as well. Despite the unresolved tension and criticism, the fast food restaurants and chain motels continue to be built, often with token stylistic compromises such as the “environmental look” that Liebs describes mediating the effects of landscape intervention.
Although the pictures are well captioned and relevant to the immediate text, the illustrations still read as supplementary to the main text rather than in direct dialogue with it, which was a bit frustrating at times (like reading two parallel texts). Overall, however, it is a clever book covering a fairly interesting topic that I think most people would find interesting and coherent. As a west coast native who enjoys a good road trip (including two in the week of reading this: one from LB, CA to Phoenix, AZ and one from Provo to Moab, UT), I found the discussions of roadside architecture very familiar and enjoyable.
Liebs explains why the term “miracle mile” has been used to describe twentieth century highway strips as follows: the “almost instantaneous transformation of some stretch of highway at the edge of the town into a bustling shopping corridor was viewed by a society long conditioned by depression and war as an economic event of miraculous proportions” (29). Thus the economic success and boom of roadside architecture has a miraculous and positive effect on American society and culture. He later cleverly concludes his book with a witty saying that the miracle mile’s presence can be equated to the time “when Big Macs replaced smokestacks as an icon of American prosperity” (227). Repeated, predictable landscapes provided uniform, reliable products that at first gave Americans pride and comfort. As Liebs summarizes it: the “fast-food entrepreneurs adhered to the same formula that governed the chain motel: the best surprise was no surprise” (214).
But as is common to landscapes of repetition and quick economic success, criticism soon followed in the wake. In the latter half of the twentieth century, critics of roadside architecture lamented them as “eyesores” detracting from “neighborhood” communities. Thus the ambivalent paradox so common in patterns of landscape—such as suburban developments—arose in roadside architecture as well. Despite the unresolved tension and criticism, the fast food restaurants and chain motels continue to be built, often with token stylistic compromises such as the “environmental look” that Liebs describes mediating the effects of landscape intervention.
Although the pictures are well captioned and relevant to the immediate text, the illustrations still read as supplementary to the main text rather than in direct dialogue with it, which was a bit frustrating at times (like reading two parallel texts). Overall, however, it is a clever book covering a fairly interesting topic that I think most people would find interesting and coherent. As a west coast native who enjoys a good road trip (including two in the week of reading this: one from LB, CA to Phoenix, AZ and one from Provo to Moab, UT), I found the discussions of roadside architecture very familiar and enjoyable.
June 17, 2024
Really interesting study of how the highway system changed American architecture and city/suburban sprawl over the course of the 20th century. Could drag a bit at times, but not a long book and a good overview of the topic if you're just becoming interested. Photos are numerous and well-done but are exclusively black and white.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews