Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, January 22, 1995                   TAG: 9501240018
SECTION: BOOKS                    PAGE: F-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PRESERVING MAIN STREET FROM VIRGINIA TO CALIFORNIA

I liked this book so much I gave it to my mother for her birthday. And if you like nostalgia, it's for you, too.

This excellent portrait of American Main Streets in 10 small towns across the country juxtaposes old photography with contemporary photography in a "then and now" way that highlights architectural preservation at its best and most useful. These 10 towns, including Lexington, Va., have succeeded in finding ways to capitalize on nostalgia while at the same time remaining firmly planted in the present.

In 1980, The National Trust for Historic Preservation created the National Main Street Center to aid communities in preserving their most valuable resource - their historical commercial buildings. This book takes a glowing look at the successful results from Great Barrington, Mass. - the gateway to the Berkshires, to Grass Valley, Calif.

The text is a narrative of the trip to these towns by the author and Leisa Crane who researched and wrote a historical overview of each location that is woven through the text.

In the introduction, Ross notes, "This book does not attempt to be an academic study of 300 years of Main Street history. Rather, it hopes to draw readers - through the format of both archival and contemporary photographs with accompanying text - into the rich and varied historical elements that find common ground in 10 American small towns. The towns themselves provide a lively documentation of architecture, transportation, trade and distribution, culture, and community life. Whether through the tale of a thriving port, a bustling railroad town, or a busy riverboat junction, the growth of America can be seen through these strong and remarkable stories."

This book has high quality production values, excellent photography - vivid colors and also archival tin-type and sepia reproductions - highlighting, for example, the brickwork of Lexington and the lovely facades of Oberlin, Ohio. It's a glimpse of architectural preservation at its best in small town America.

Every waiting room should have a copy.

Dan Frei is a political consultant.