
Ranch House
Pioneers
Becoming
a Levittowner
Kidsville,
USA
Levittown
Electronic Hearth
Home &
Garden
Main Street

Exhibit
acknowledgements
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Ranch House Pioneers
LIFE ON THE SUBURBAN FRONTIER
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![Young family arriving in Levittown, late June, 1952. The typical Levittown household consisted of couples under age 30 with children under age five. [Courtesy of Urban Archives, Temple University, Philadelphia.].](../images/thumbnails/H31P1.jpg) |
They came in the pioneering spirit
of America—with a suitcase in one hand
and a baby in another.

June 26, 1952 issue of the Levittown
Times reporting
on the arrival of the first residents. |
Young family arriving in Levittown,
late June, 1952. The typical Levittown household
consisted of couples under age 30 with children
under age five.
[Urban Archives, Temple University, Philadelphia]
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Levittown's First Official Family
Levittown's first 20 families arrived on June 23,
1952.
With its partially framed housing, immature landscaping
and muddy streets, their new community looked more
like a frontier town than a modern housing development.
"People talked about the mud
and the dirt and everything, but it was exciting"
Philomena
Dougherty
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On June 23, 1952,
reporters followed John and Philomena Dougherty
as they moved into their new home at 67 Stonybrook
Drive. Like many of those who would follow,
Levittownçs first official family had moved
up from Philadelphia.
Their front yard was still a construction
site, but for the Doughertys and countless
others, Levittown represented the fulfillment
of the American Dream of homeownership. "Country
living with city conveniences," Philomena told
reporters. [Rita Calzarette] |

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Home on the Range
Soon-to-be
residents frequently photographed their Levittown
houses under construction. A first home was an
occasion worth recording and remembering.
Child
in doorway of recently framed house. [Kathy
Sandy]
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George Ryan
cartoon,
from the Levittown Outlook,
1959. [Jerry Jonas] |
The first few weeks for new homeowners was akin
to frontier life—few public services, alternately
muddy and dusty streets, and Spartan furnishings.
An official "Welcome Wagon" helped new homeowners
with their transition to suburbia.
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George Carmichael inspects
his new house on Jasmine Road, in the Juniper
Hills section of Levittown.
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Carmichael
enjoys his first dinner—on moving boxes—in
his new home. [George Carmichael]
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![Even local officials had to consult Levittown maps to figure out who lived where. Their main activity in the early years? Helping lost homeowners„and their children and pets„find their way home. [Courtesy of Jerry Jones]](../images/thumbnails/H33P5.jpg)
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Even local officials
had to consult Levittown maps to figure out
who lived where. Their main activity in the
early years? Helping lost homeowners—and
their children and pets—find their way
home. [Jerry Jonas] |
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Home Delivery
![Vendors and salesman lined up along Jasmine Road in the Juniper Hill section. [Courtesy of George Carmichael.]](../images/thumbnails/H33P6.jpg) |

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Vendors and salesmen
lined up along Jasmine Road in the Juniper Hill
section. [George Carmichael]
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Ad for "Eureka
Disposomatic" published in the Levittown
Times.
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With more than 70,000
residents, Levittown represented a lucrative market
for businesses that catered to new home owners—an
ideal built-in market for everything from heating oil
to milk delivery. Maps of Levittown were a favorite
advertising premium.
During
the early years, competition for Levittown's "milk
dollar" was fierce. Local dairies such as Greenwood
gave free samples to win over new customers. For businesses
that catered to young families, suburbia represented
the ideal market.
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Dairies occupied
two full pages in the local telephone book in 1956.
[David Marable] |
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Growth Spurt!
Levittown's population grew by leaps and bounds during
the 1950s, thanks both to natural increase and the constant
arrival of new residents. Like many other new suburbs,
Levittown was considered a "rabbits warren" and a boom
town for pediatricians.
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Living by the Rules
New residents to Levittown received instructions on
the care and maintenance of new homes, as well as a list
of community "do's" and "don'ts."
The Homeowners
Guide, distributed
to all new residents, came to be known as the "rule
book." [Collections of the State Museum] |
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Another
necessity for new home owners? A detailed map.
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Ad for the "ranch dryer," published
in the Levittown
Times, 1952. |
Only "revolving portable type dryers" were permitted
in Levittown since, according to Levitt, "old fashioned
clothes lines strung across the lawn look messy." Levitt
also prohibited the hanging of laundry on Sundays and
holidays, "when you and your neighbor are most likely
to be relaxing on the rear lawn."
Concerned they would spoil the developmentçs "park-like
appearance," Levitt banned man-made fences. Residents
were instead encouraged to plant a "natural" fence of
privet hedge or evergreens. The restriction proved unenforceable.

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George
Ryan cartoon from the Levittown
Outlook, 1959. |
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Expanding
Home remodeling became a major industry. Many Levittown
residents built out or up to accommodate growing families
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Ad for home remodeling
placed in the Levittown
Outlook,
1959. |
Letter from Levitt
and Sons approving an addition. [Sam Hellings]
Homeowners
were required to submit their remodeling plans to
Levitt for approval. |
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Father finishing
rec room. [Look Magazine Collection,
Library of Congress]
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Couple decorating
house at night. [Look Magazine Collection,
Library of Congress] According to the Ladies
Home Journal,
a favorite pastime of newcomers was "gazing into
lighted homes at night to pick up decorating ideas."
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