Main Street in the 40s: Rare colour photographs capture the cafes, general stores and corner shops that were the heartbeat of small town America

As the nation recovered from the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, and prepared for World War II, Main Street was a place where communities came together and the entrepreneurial spirit was able to flourish.

Main Street in the 40s: Rare colour photographs capture the cafes

Main Street in the 40s: Rare colour photographs capture the cafes

Main Street in the 40s: Rare colour photographs capture the cafes

Main Street in the 40s: Rare colour photographs capture the cafes