About The Oldest Suburb In America
The first planned suburban community in the United States
A suburb is defined as outlying district of a city or a smaller community adjacent to or within commuting distance of a city.
Although Levittown is not the oldest city, town or settlement in America, it is considered the first and oldest suburb in America. Therefore, Levittown has earned a spot on both our Historic Towns and Oldest Places lists.
Levittown, NY is described by Guggenheim Museum as the first of thousands of suburbs. The Digital Public Library of America describes Levittown as the first and largest prefabricated suburb. The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) mentions Levittown as the first large-scale suburb.
The town is a suburban community located on the middle of Long Island, New York. It was developed by Levitt & Sons, Inc. in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and was the first planned suburban community in the United States. The first homes in Levittown were sold in 1947.
In fact, Levittown was the first truly mass-produced suburb and is widely regarded as the archetype for postwar suburbs throughout the country. Levitt and Sons, a construction company, purchased a 7-square-mile plot of potato and onion farms in Long Island in 1947.
They set out to build one of the first uniform suburban community in the US. Levitt and Sons, of Long Island, became the nation's largest home building firm by 1952.
The development was planned as a post-World War II solution to the housing shortage in the New York City area. Levitt & Sons built over 17,000 homes in Levittown, all of which were designed with the same basic floor plan and architectural style, to make construction more efficient and affordable.
Every house in Levittown was identical. The Levitt family called it "the best house in the US." Levittown became a symbol of the American Dream, offering affordable homes and a suburban lifestyle to working-class families.
It was also criticized for its lack of diversity, as the development was originally only open to white families. It wasn't until the Civil Rights Act of 1968 that Levittown was desegregated.
Prior to 1947, the Levittown area consisted of two settlements: Jerusalem and Island Trees. Jerusalem began in the 1640’s as a Quaker settlement centered around Wantagh Avenue and Southern State Parkway.
After the Civil War, German immigrants coming in from Hicksville established farms along Hempstead Turnpike, Division Avenue, and Bloomingdale Road in an area known from colonial times as Island Trees. (Levittown Historical Society).
Today, Levittown is a thriving community with a population of over 50,000 residents. It has a number of parks, community centers, and schools and is known for its strong sense of community and friendly neighbors. It remains a predominantly residential community as many of the original homes have been expanded and renovated over the years.
