Discovering Main Street

Small towns punctuate the landscape of Oregon and Washington. Theyburrow in crinkles of hills, sit alongside mighty rivers, survive indesert canyons and sagebrush plains, dot the fertile Willamette valley,and perch at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.

In Discovering Main Street, Foster Church reveals theunexpected and unique pleasures of exploring small towns, what he calls“the last frontier of American tourism.”

Organized by region—Willamette Valley, Oregon Coast, SouthernOregon, Eastern Oregon, and Southern Washington—the profiles inDiscovering Main Street begin with route tips and end with comments onwhere to stay and eat. Church’s engaging narratives providehistory, highlights, and insights into each of the nearly fiftyprofiled communities.

A useful introduction summarizes Church’s recommendations,which include hanging out at the local cafe, attending a school sportsevent, and hiking the surroundings—because without exception,small towns in the Northwest are set in hauntingly beautifulenvironments, from stark deserts to deep, mossy forests.

Discovering Main Street provides an alternative to theoutdoor adventure guides that dominate bookshelves in the Northwest. Itwill appeal to armchair travelers, to Northwest enthusiasts, and to anycurious explorers seeking adventure in hidden—andunexpected—places.