The begining of advertisment for the new
The very first thing i asked myself, that i am sure you were thinking as well is what is Levittown. I began observing and learning from various sites to get at first a general sense of knowledge of the topic. The first site i discovered was really helpful as its information was from the american hisitory magazine. I thought this website helped provide me with basic information dealing with what was needed to fully understand Levittown. Levittown was established during the baby boom of 1951 in long island. It was a suburban development formed In post WW2 by william Levitt. The Levitt family had already previously built subdivisions following the war for returning veterans and families on the East coast. This American History website let me know that they had already previoulsy built a similar structure of housing before they performed the most well known one in New York. The levitt families first subdivision was in long island in an area known as Roslyn where they had started their success with building 2, 250 homes in 1941. Thats when the family decided they could achieve even more by expanding their idea to appeal to an even greater population after testing and perfecting their technique . I was impressed while researching that the Levitt family didnt just settle but kepy moving forward ultimately leading them to form Levittown.
The welcome sign entering Levittown
An aerial view BEFORE the soon to be levittown community is formed in New york 
An Aerial picture AFTER the construction of Levittown William levitt knew that to make his community appeal to americans in advertising he would have to present it as an ideal way of american life, that combined the middle class suburban communities with democratized life of the younger and their families of urban raised gi's. Levittown formed a suburbian community that appealed to thousands of americans. As i was researching i came to the conclusion that Levitt was almost trying to form a utopia living condition hidden within his idea of a community..... which i dont know i find is rather creepy like trying to form robots out of people that would all live and act alike as they were being brainwashed through advertising and what would be expected from them if they lived in such conditins. I discovered through levittownhistoricalsociety.org the explanation behind the attraction americans found to the suburbian community. Sixteen million Gi's were returning and ready to marry, settle down and have a family. However they were came across soem trouble trying to find a place of shelter for their families because as a result from the war their was decreased amount of construction materials needed to build a proper home. Therefor by the end of 1945, people in similar predicaments were living with parents, in cars, tool sheds, attics, basements because over 5 million houses were needed to reach all these americans goals. Thats when Levitts purchase of cheap farm land on the potato fields and construction of inexpensive mass produced houses were mainly for uniting families and veterans.
a picture of the type of stereotypical life style that was necessary and expected from families living in Levittown
May 7,1947 Levitt and sons built their 2,000 rental homes on the island of trees for veterans. Only two days later the tribune from New York stated that already 1,000 of the houses had already been rented. Based on Levitts construction he built the houses on slabs of concrete and eliminated basements which was prohibitted in Hempstead but because of the vital need for houses it was overlooked. Their production technique was so succesful that they were making thirty houses a day in july, 1948. The demand for houses grew as all 2,000 had been rented so Levitt built 4,000 more, Every community had their own schools, street lights, postal services, it was like they lived in a completely seperated world. This site is where i found all the previous information as it contained the best research on Levittown because it described every step of the construction process in a very orderly fashion that made it clear to me the point and goals levitt had formed for his plans. By the end in 1951 17,447 houses stood in Levittown. Levitts construction plan was srtategically done and wisely positioned every room for a purpose. The kitchen was purposely put to look over the street where while the mother was doing housework she could watch over her children at play as well as see them while relaxing in the living room. The street was the area of focus for children at play not what we would think is the safest idea but the best way the children could be seen because behind the house in the back yard kids could not be kept an eye on. The price of these houses were under 8,000 dollars.
The very simple house plan created by levitt
The basic housing materials used for building a house in Levittown feautured in a life magazine of 1948
kids casually at play in the front lawn
"It is a poor week when Levitt houses arent feautured in at least one full column story in New York Newspapers" wrote a reporter in 1947 from the Fortune Magazine. Levittown was advertised profuosly through commercials on the radio, tv, magazines articles, it was a topic that was very appealing to everyones. "Levittowns fame has spread so widely, both in america and abroad that it now ranks near the statue of liberty among the seven wonders which New York City visitors want to see" was stated in the Nassau Daily Review Star in 1951. When the last levitt home was bought in 1951 the levitts had the title of being the biggest housing development by one builder ever in america. People had always feared taht since the houses were built so fast and cheap that they would all turn into slums never happened! These quotes and research really prove just how great people saw the idea of levittown for the most part and what a success it had become in the states.
William levitt on the cover of a time magazine in July of 1950
The way Levittown impacted american lifestyles is because it formed a suburbian nation. One third of the population lived in suburbs. William Levitt became a symbol and represtented the new idea of suburban growth due to his techniques in mass production. So many people wanted to move to the suburbs because it was a community with a large population of people with common backgrounds and ages. In these suburbs americans found it easier to make new friends and form social groups. Most suburbs were restricted to whites and though there were a few african american communities very similar it was dominated by whites. Since many african americans could not afford to live in the suburbian like houses of Levittown. This information is from the American History twelth edition book by Alan Brinkley, pages 800-801.. I hadn't actually used the textbook for research purposes so i thought it was a different way of finding information so much easier! hahahahhahhhahaa wish i would of thought of using it earlier!
Living in Suburbs has impacted American Lifestyle even today. Though the levitt houses are still there today they have been modified with the new generation, not looking identical as they had before. However levitt began th suburbian culture which is still seen in many places today. Ranging from middle class based suburbs to upper class ones in present day you could find suburbs contained with mixed classes and races. I wake up every morning in a suburb and i love it. Levittown was just the begining of a new way of living for future generations to come and carry on the same characteristics. My loads of research helped me to understand the importance and the way it affected americans then and now. ON A SIDE NOTE...Thank you Mrs. Lawson for everything you have done, you are such an incerdible teacher and i have enjoyed every day in your class. You make learning fun and interesting, your able to keep the class involved and never dull. For once i enjoyed learning about history and have a better understanding of it than i have from any other history class at Randolph. I hope you have a great summer! ill miss you and cant wait to see you again the start of senior year! I appreaciate everything you have done for me, so thank you again!! <3 <3 <3 :);):);):);):)
A very popular song by Pete Seeger who adresses the way levittown still plays the same role it did than in our society today.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
