In 1963, German photographer Thomas Hoepker and a writer friend spent three months driving across the United States. They worked for ‘Kristall’ magazine to document parts of the country that tourists rarely visited. Their road trip started in New York and ended in Los Angeles, covering thousands of miles of “Middle America.” Hoepker focused his camera on ordinary people living their daily lives in small towns and rural areas. He avoided famous landmarks to find the true character of the nation.
The photographs captured a world of neon-lit diners and dusty gas stations along the highway. In the Midwest, Hoepker recorded men in work clothes leaning against brick walls and families gathering on their front porches. The streets were filled with heavy American cars that featured polished chrome bumpers and large tailfins. People dressed in simple, practical clothing as they went about their business in grocery stores and local post offices.
Hoepker found beauty in the mundane details of these communities. He photographed children playing in the spray of open fire hydrants and older men playing checkers in public squares. The images show a country of vast, open landscapes and quiet main streets. Every shot focused on the habits and environments of citizens who lived far from the headlines of big cities. This journey provided a detailed record of the American spirit during a single summer in the early 1960s.
