The proliferation of the automobile, and the uniquely American car-culture that came as a result, led to the development of a variety of auto-centric building types, including automobile showrooms. Although Virginia’s mid-century architecture has received greater research over the past few decades, the state’s mid-century automobile showrooms remain relatively unexamined. Through analysis of architectural design and development patterns, this thesis seeks to answer the question: how are Virginia’s automobile showrooms constructed between 1945 and 1974 significant in a larger pattern of American automotive history?