The Last Stop: Vanishing Rest Stops of the American Roadside

During my three-week trip to Metropolis, Illinois, I saw a number of rest stops with unusual designs.

Unfortunately, I did not stop to take any pictures of them, but somebody else did and there's a new book out with plenty of photographs.

It is The Last Stop: Vanishing Rest Stops of the American Roadside by Ryann Ford. It is a coffee-table photo book and if one is fascinated by roadside kitsch, then this book is what the doctor ordered.

RV Life has an article on the book. It begins with:

If you’ve traveled by RV in the last decade, you know that RV rest areas are disappearing. These permanently shuttered pit stops dot America’s highway system. But a few of these concrete sentinels continue standing tall as symbols of another time in America. A new photo book called “The Last Stop” shares their stories and preserves their legacy before they disappear altogether. 

As RVers we have all the conveniences of home when we roam. But even the most hard-driving need an occasional pause from the blacktop at rest areas and welcome centers. Oftentimes when we find ourselves a hundred miles in the middle of nowhere and in desperate need of a break, a highway rest stop suddenly appears on the horizon. When architecture at resting places  can be seen from a mile away, pulling over for a few minutes isn’t a hassle. It’s irresistible.

I will be ordering a copy this coming week. The price is $45.00 for a copy signed by the author.

To read more, go here.