These pictures are from a book-in-progress, with the working title
The Heart of Town: Main Streets in America. It was begun in October 2001 and continues. There was a gap of several years after 2005 when I concentrated on post-Katrina urban planning work. I still photographed downtowns, but sought out certain elements for urban analysis. Those pictures are on another website, the
Transect Collection, where you can learn how different frontages support different walkable habitats.
Many of the images in this gallery are from my 2011 road trip coast-to-coast on US Route 50, which is arguably America's Main Street. It follows a rural-to-urban transect in and out of towns. Often US 50 becomes, literally, Main Street.
Keep clicking on the image to get an uncluttered background.
Main Street, Chillicothe, OH (Moss) 2011
Main Street, Spring City, PA 2013
First Street, Salida, CO (Blue Wall) 2011
Broadway Street, Cottonwood Falls, KS (Brick) 2011
Railroad Avenue, Green River, WY (The Brewery) 2008
Fourth Street, Rawlins, WY (Rifleman) 2008
16th Street, Cheyenne, WY (Fire Picture) 2008
Main Street, McArthur, OH (Dirt Bike) 2011
Broad Street, Nevada City, CA (Early Morning) 2011
16th Street, Cheyenne, WY (The Wrangler) 2008
Cottonwood Street, Strong City, KS (Crack) 2011
Main Street, Austin, NV (Hardware Supply) 2011
George Washington Highway, Gormania, WV (State Line) 2011
Elm & Main, Rocky Ford, CO (Lad & Dad Shoes) 2011
Main & North, Flora, IL (Mural) 2011
Main Street, Spring City, PA (Colors) 2013
Main Street & US 50, Hasty, CO (Post Office) 2011
Church & Morrison, Fayette, MO (Hereford) 2011
Cedar Street, Rawlins, WY (Wyo) 2008
Main Street, Blackwater, MO (Iron Horse) 2011
All photographs ©Sandy Sorlien
