There’s A Twitter Bot That Shares Vintage American Roadside Pics Dated ’60s–’00s, And So Here Are 30 Of The Most Interesting Ones

Born in 1940, award-winning photographer John Margolies spent a fair bit of his youth traveling locally with his family, sparking a love for the road and all things roadside. So, at 16, he got a hold of a 1948 Oldsmobile and hit the road.

Much of his academic life and career were spent doing something that somehow connected to his work in photography—journalism, art history, and architecture. In the mid 1970s, he more or less officially started photographing vernacular architecture on long road trips across the US.

It is said that Margolies knew very little about photography, but he understood exactly what he wanted from his Canon cameras that used the stock 50mm lenses and ASA 25 film. He liked the color saturation on those things.

In his 2010 book “Roadside America,” which included a lot of Margolies’ photography, journalist and author Phil Patton elaborated about how Margolies would set out on the road. Margolies would typically rent a car and leave in late spring, or just after Labor Day, when tourist season hasn’t kicked off yet and the roads are vacant.

He’d pack coolers to keep his film cool (reduces film degradation and desaturation), while his other belongings would be put away in bags. Most times, he’d stay in motels until early morning as that was the prime time for photography—places were the least crowded at that time, and so that meant the cars wouldn’t mess up the visual vibe. Also, Margolies really loved the lighting during that time of the day, which was thanks to the clear blue skies.

Bored Panda has also gotten in touch with Mark Bobich, California-born "atypical American" who's been taking adventure-thirsty travelers around USA, Canada, Mexico and Central America for nearly two decades, to talk all things roadside attractions.

Mark has led tours in the USA visiting the most breathtaking corners of 32 states. Originally, a major in economics who ended up getting soaked in the world of tourism and has been unconventionally and authentically sharing the culture, adrenaline-filled activities, local cuisines and beauty of local people with his clients.

Now, sure, Wikipedia will do a great job in defining a roadside attraction, but it doesn’t really explain the pathos and cultural significance of the phenomenon. And now that is hard to explain. But Mark took a stab at it:

“It can be an ‘abandoned’ town on Route 66, an unusual bathroom stop, a giant concrete dinosaur, or even a national monument. Some roadside attractions are what many would describe as ‘kitsch’ and some might even be described as works of art. To be honest, it wasn’t until I was much older that I began to appreciate these uniquely American attractions.”

“I mostly traveled abroad as a young adult and it wasn’t until I was in my 40s that I began to travel more extensively in the US while leading tour groups. Foreigners on my tours seemed to be more fascinated with these attractions than many Americans. I slowly began to gain an appreciation for things like giant concrete dinosaurs, ‘ghost towns’, and waterfall toilet stops.”

“Regarding specific factors and characteristics of roadside attractions, I think they are incredibly diverse. It can be anything from what was once an ‘over the top’ advertisement, to something a local artist created, to an entire town.”

The description becomes even crazier when you factor in all the fierce competition among the various roadside venues—after all, they had to stand out in whatever way they could, and stand out they did:

“As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What one person may think is ridiculous, another might think is amazing. Seligman, Arizona is a tourist trap to some and a piece of Americana to others. A urinal in a hotel in San Luis Obispo, CA might be a piece of creative sculpture or simply a funny place to pee. A Jolly Green Giant statue in Minnesota can represent 1970s American corporatism or, to some, nostalgia.

The whole point of Margolies’ “Roadside America” was to preserve the structural authenticity and socio-cultural relevance of the roadside scene in the United States. And it does that—to some degree. According to Mark, roadside attractions might not be losing their relevance, but interest in them is definitely being lost.

The main reason for this is that folks have mostly seen it all at this point. The age of the internet has allowed folks to see and experience things without even going there, desensitizing them to pretty much any freak-show roadside attraction that might be out there. This is besides more people opting for air travel due to the long distances. And so, it becomes increasingly harder for these locations to stay afloat.

But despite the seemingly imminent demise of the roadside scene, Mark is optimistic about their survival, at least in one shape or another, as he joked in our interview: “They absolutely are unique and I only mentioned a few! They will stand the test of time until the fall of the empire.”

So, how can you help keep the American legacy alive? Go out there and experience everything that the long American roads have to offer. And renting a car and just going exploring is the best way to go about it, as Mark explains. Either that, or calling him and booking a tour.

Speaking of Mark, here’s his Instagram where you can follow his adventures. But remember that this list is nowhere near the end, so keep on scrolling, and why not share some of your favorite roadside locations that are a must to visit in the comment section below!