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I have always been passionate about history.  The combination of historic perspectives and historic buildings is a combination that deserves further analysis.  I am pushing my research into this area through a specific focus on the American west.  Here is a little intro to that research focus:

While the settling of the American west brings with it romanticized stories, heated debates, and ethical questions which have been analyzed by many over the years, it also brought about a generalization that the west was a homogeneous set of anonymous-looking towns with interesting towns. It is often voiced that a visit to any western town is sufficient as all western towns look alike or at least very similar. The main street of any town is indistinguishable from the main street of any other. The buildings have similar styles, the houses are of similar age, and each town has a similar railroad station that is picturesque and reminiscent of the late 19th century.  The towns are historic and symbolize the western culture of independence and self-reliance.  Each town is a western postcard that is distinguishable only through its street signs and natural background.

This sentiment is difficult to change as it is visually correct.  Western towns are visually similar. However, the western style should not be perceived as a lack of design or a series of carbon copies.  Rather, the western style as epitomized by the individual main streets is a reflection of the settling of the west. It is a reflection of the unique time in which western expansion resulted in a permanent transformation of the natural landscape.  It is a reflection of the times when Native American influences were being combined with European traditions and developing western culture to create something unique – the western style.

The study of the western style is a study of the west.  The development of Main Street is the development of the west encapsulated in the buildings, sidewalks, streets, and railroad stations.  The building of each town is a reflection of immigration, technological advancement, communication advances, transportation evolution, and design innovation.  The western style is a reflection of the European and eastern American populations who settled in the west. It is a reflection of complex interactions and a story that is only understood when we look past the apparent similarities that lie at the surface of western towns.

Western style should no longer be viewed as a series of carbon copy buildings scattered across a thousand miles of nature.  It is time for western style to be viewed as the encapsulation of the political, social, and economic forces that changed global dynamics.