The Levitt Story
The background of Levittown,Pennsylvania is unique for a new city. It is located in Lower Bucks COunty,Pennsylvania at the big bend in the Delaware River between Philadelphia,Pennsylvania and Trenton, New Jersey.With the creation of this completely planned community it marked a part of America's industrial growth. Well-planned housing and well-planned communities actually proved to stimulate the growth of a new industrial area.
Levittown was placed in the busy Delaware Valley.At that time it was the biggest pre-planned city since L'enfant laid out Washington, D.C.,and was the tenth biggest city in Pennsylvania.It consisted of four municipalities; Levittown in Tullytown Boro, Levittown in Bristol Township, Levittown in Falls Township and Levittown in Middletown Township.The community was planned right down to the last shrub and tree.
Constructing homes was only a small part of the big plan. More than 18 new schools were planned for and churches of all faiths were placed throughout the community. It had it's own 'down-town' called 'The Levittown Shooping Center' with more than 60 stores. It not only served Levittown but the entire surrounding area. The stores were arranged on both sides of an L-shaped mall centered in a large parking area that could fit 5,000 cars.
The planning stage of this vast community building project by 'Levitt and Sons, Inc.' Started in early 1951 and by October 1951 a network of roads were being carved out of farmlands, with the construction of a water and sewer system, purification and treatment plants. This construction was carried on all winter so that homes could be started by early spring, 1952 and delivered to their new owners by May and June, 1952 as scheduled.
At one time there were approximately 150 farms on the 5,500 acres where levittown sits today. It took all summer to purchase the land, analyze the soil, examine titles, do topographical mapping, market analysis, meeting with local and state planning commissions, highway officials, local government agencies, federal and state housing officials and lots of planning.
Levitt and Sons,Inc. were America's master builders. They are considered to be No.1 home-building organization in the nation. The firm built more than 50,000 homes in the 25 years they were active.Most traditional homebuilders would do 35 homes in a year. Levitt and Sons,Inc. were building at a rate of 35 or more homes a day when they were building Levittown,New York in 1950-1951. They swung into mass-production methods in 1946-47 to meet the demands of the GI and White and Blue-Collar workers.
TO READ MORE INFORMATION OF THE LEVITTS AND THERE COMMUNITIES, PLEASE ORDER A BOOK.(Click on the "Book Ordering Information" Link or Email S.David Marable at: sdavidmarable@levittownexhibitcenternorth.com)