A Revolution of Residential Design LEVITTOWN AND THE RISE OF SUBURBIA
In 1947, a stretch of potato fields on Long Island started growing something new. Instead of potatoes, the land was transformed into thousands of identical houses, each built in just a few days. The development was called Levittown. To the families moving in, it must have felt like a miracle. To those watching from afar, it looked like the future. Before Levittown, the suburbs were mainly for the wealthy. Places like Shaker Heights in Ohio and Riverside in Illinois offered quiet streets away from the pollution and overcrowding of the city, but working families couldn’t afford to live there. Levittown was different. The developers, Levitt & Sons, treated home construction like an assembly line, and crews efficiently knocked out house after house. At their peak, they finished dozens of homes a day. Housing was in high demand at the time. With veterans returning home from World War II and the baby boom beginning, cities were running out of space. A Levittown home sold for around $8,000, which was within reach of families using GI Bill loans. The single-story houses came with stoves, televisions,
and a small yard for barbecues. It wasn’t luxury, but it gave the families who moved there a chance to live their version of the American dream. Soon, the development became its own world. Swimming pools, baseball fields, and shopping centers became places where families ran into neighbors on Saturday mornings, which felt new and full of possibility. But that possibility wasn’t a reality for everyone. Racist sales policies barred Black families from buying homes, even when they qualified for loans. The suburb also reinforced older ideas about gender. Women who had worked during the war felt pressure to return to domestic life, stay home, and care for the kids while their husbands commuted to work. For all its promise, it was still a product of its time. Even so, Levittown launched a new style of living that transformed the landscape of American life. Other developers copied the model, and before long, new neighborhoods stretched toward the horizon. Rows of identical houses became symbols of stability, and the dream of a better life moved to the city’s edges.
USE IT TO LIFT SOMEONE OUT OF ISOLATION TODAY Connection Is a Superpower
much of their time by themselves, whether they’re attending church, cooking in the comfort of their own home, or looking for something fun to do on a Friday night. Since February hosts National No One Eats Alone Day, it’s the perfect time to open your heart and home to those who need a little more care and connection. While No One Eats Alone Day is focused on meals, I think we could expand it beyond that to everyday situations that we’ve all experienced. There have been many instances where someone came and joined me while I was sitting alone, which made me feel welcome. This is something that seems to be all too common in churches. When you see someone sitting alone at church, it’s often an older person who recently lost a spouse, someone going through a divorce, or even a young adult trying to navigate new situations without a support system. Sitting and connecting with them will bring more joy and appreciation than you could ever imagine.
Networking events are another location where people often feel isolated and alone, even when they’re in a room full of people. If you see someone sitting alone at these events, befriend them and make them feel included. If you’re uncomfortable talking with strangers, find someone who feels the same way and ask them about themselves or their work. From there, your group of two can find someone else who feels the same way. Before long, you have an entire crew of people who are grateful that you made the first step. Nearly every day, we get an opportunity to extend a helping hand or friendly voice to someone in need. Give it a try. You may just make a new friend or become someone’s hero!
As humans, we’re wired for connection. When we can get together with others, enjoy a good meal, and share stories from our personal lives, we feel better. There’s an instant improvement in our mood, and feelings of depression, isolation, and anxiety start to melt away. However, many Americans do not have access to a group that makes them feel like they belong. They spend
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