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The rise of the American diner is the most savory of phenomenons, where classic architecture, a friendly face behind the counter, and some mean pie all combined to make these little roadside stops a treasured part of history. From the early days when Walter Scott brought his horse-drawn lunch wagons through the streets to the heyday of mass-produced chrome and neon diners in the 1950s, The American Diner offers a full blue-plate special of nostalgia for all those who loved the counter culture of these great eateries. More than 250 historical and bright colorful photographs help remind us of life before fast food, and generous helpings of classic advertisements, cool collectibles, and architectural highlights also highlight the era. Diners from coast to coast are featured, giving readers a trip to some of the best stainless-steel and neon diners that still dot the American roadways.
Now available in paperback!!This incredible collection of historical photographs captures the reverence of all the attractions and towns of the Mother Road, Route 66. Noted author Michael Witzel spent years traveling Route 66 collecting mementos of life and folklore that make up the most famous road in America. His unmatched photography takes readers back to the attractions and towns as they were and offers a captivating view of them today. Here it is, the American highway past and present in Motorbooks' beautiful 10 x 10 format, the classic photographic essay of an American legend.
Road historian and photographer Michael Karl Witzel encapsulates the drive-in phenomenon in this paperback version of his hardcover classic (0-87938-919-2). A colorful collection of hamburger wrappers, menus, postcards, vintage photographs, and memorabilia complement a lively narrative and informative sidebars, taking the reader back to tastier times.
It started in the heartland and originally ended in Los Angeles (not, contrary to myth, at the ocean). It carried truckers crossing the country, Okies fleeing the Dust Bowl, vacationers seeking the sun. It was Americas Main Street, the Mother Road, the Will Rogers Highway, and, at its dangerous curves, Bloody 66. Get your kicks on Route 66 with this wonderfully illustrated tribute to the best-loved highway in this car-loving nation. Michael Witzel shares his expertise and wealth of personal, archive, collector, and contributing photographer images in these pages, offering a nostalgic tour of the charms and oddities of this road through American cultural history. Starting in Chicago and runni...
Features a collection of full-color photographs that trace the cultural history of America's classic roadside attractions, including neon-trimmed hotels, drive-in restaurants, and the many sights that can be viewed while traveling along Route 66.
Until Jamestown was established, nothing in North America grew taller than the native forests, grasses, and mountains. Beginning in 1620, the settlers who plowed the indigenous sod also dotted the virgin landscapes with towering, stately structures, the likes of which had never before been seen on the continent. This photo/essay treatment of barns in America is arranged by the five distinct roof styles that have largely come to define American barns, presenting six 20-page spreads detailing the Dutch, bank, crib, round, and prairie styles. The result captures the pastiche of rural America through stunning photography, conveying everything from stone barns in hard-scrabble Maine to thoroughbred barns in the lush bluegrass regions, to traditional Gambrel-roofed red barns in the Midwest. Regions represented include New England, the Southeast, the mid-South, the Midwest, the Pacific Northwest, the desert Southwest, and California. There is an in depth examination of how styles developed out of necessity and anecdotes from those who work and live on farms.
Renowned pop culture historian Witzel examines the evolution, architecture, and decor of the American motel in all its forms, from the traditional motor court to gimmicks such as miniature log cabins, cement teepees, and more. 200 photos, 150 in color.
Lively text examines all aspects of this universal pastime, including the cars, the rise of youth culture, street racing, drive-ins, cruisers versus the law, Detroit's role, "classic" cruising venues like Detroit's Woodward Avenue, popular culture and more. It is illustrated with historical new photos and features a dozen specially commissioned artwork by well-known automotive illustrator Ken Bash. 200 photos, 150 in color.
The American Gas Station is a nostalgic history of the service station and the American car culture it helped create. An exceptional chronicle of the birth of roadside architecture, the development of gasoline pumps, corporate trademarks, and gas station memorabilia.
Traces the history of the American gas station, and looks at stations, attendants, gasoline pumps, containers, signs, and premiums.