In 1977, the National Trust launched the experimental Main Street Program in three Midwest communities. Since then, the program to preserve architecturally significant structures has been established in over 1400 communities in 43 states, with mostly successful results. While applauding that effort, Longstreth warns that preservationists should be wary of nostalgic Main Street 'theme park' solutions. His goal in writing the guide is to help preservationists arm themselves with 'knowledge of the buildings' intrinsic qualities and of the legacy they represent.' The well-designed guide is organized by compositional types, such as the two-part commercial block .... Preservationists, architectural historians, and anyone interested in learning more about the rich and varied history of America's towns and cities will want a copy of this model guide.

Anne Miller, North Carolina Historical Review

First published in 1987, The Buildings of Main Street provided what had not existed before: A concise, coherent typology for identifying commercial buildings.... Longstreth's typology was quickly adopted by many preservation professionals as the standard for identifying and classifying commercial buildings. The 2000 edition contains the original text and photographs with a new preface and bibliography.... Longstreth's commercial typology works equally well to identify buildings in Chicago or Ottumwa, Iowa, and is as significant today as it was when introduced in 1987.

Molly Myers Naumann, The Annals Of Iowa

The Buildings of Main Street is the preeminent source on the subject of commercial architecture and main street commercial districts. This text is the 'standard' of the profession.

Jay D. Vogt, South Dakota Historical Society