The Streamline Era Greyhound Terminals - by Frank E Wrenick & Elaine V Wrenick (Paperback)

About the Book

In post-Depression America, Greyhound brought the glamour of travel within the reach of everyone, regardless of financial status. Their bus terminals functioned as gateways to the cities in which they were located. With this in mind, the Greyhound bus company found an architect who could embody in architectural form the sleek aerodynamics of the buses that served its transportation system: William Strudwick Arrasmith.

Book Synopsis

In post-Depression America, Greyhound put adventure within the reach of all. Convinced that their terminals should project the glamour and excitement of travel, the company turned to an architect who could translate the sleek, streamlined Greyhound design into buildings that would both serve and delight the public.

This volume explores the life of William Strudwick Arrasmith, a defining artist of the short-lived era of streamline design, and especially his work for Greyhound--at least fifty terminals and other facilities. The final third of the book is a detailed examination of 28 of these terminals. A full chronology of Arrasmith's firms and commissions is also included.

Review Quotes

"One of the few comprehensive sources of information on the subject...get the book. It's good."-The Beauty of Transport; "the magnitude of...research... is impressive...a definitive academic reference work...belongs in every architectural...and...transportation history library"-Society for Commercial Archeology Journal; "valuable...finely detailed social history...intimate...charming...personalized"-The Journal of American Culture; "extensive chronology, notes, sources and index are impressively detailed. A fitting tribute to a little-known man behind an instantly recognizable icon of American transportation"-Hemmings Motor News.

About the Author

Retired attorney Frank E. Wrenick is an award-winning transportation author and lecturer who has participated in the restoration of World War II aircraft and a 1918 steam locomotive. He lives in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Elaine V. Wrenick is a retired systems analyst and program designer. Her grandfather, Asa Orra Walworth, manufactured the Walworth automobile in Chicago during 1904-1905.