Levittown Historical Society Museum

One of the most defining developments of midcentury America, Levittown was both celebrated and reviled. To some, it offered middle-class stability and respectability for men who had served their country in war and their families. For others, Levittown represented stultifying conformity at best and the lingering effects of institutionalized racism at worst. For good or ill, Levitt's idea to mass produce suburban homes, inspired by Henry Ford's mass production of cars, would permanently alter the American landscape.

As World War II came to an end in 1945, William Levitt, who was president of Levitt & Sons, the construction company founded by his father, realized that thousands of returning veterans would likely trigger a massive housing boom, jump-starting an industry which had languished since the start of the Great Depression. Sensing an opportunity, Levitt purchased 7.3 square miles on Long Island in an area which was largely undeveloped. Where Henry Ford's assembly line moved the car though the workers, Levitt turned the idea on its head and essentially moved his workers from building site to building site, with each employee responsible for the same task over and over. Many of the materials were prefabricated and the homes could be assembled quickly, allowing workers to build over 30 of the simplest style homes in a day.

The developmend was originally planned to have 2,000 homes, but the concept was so popular that Levitt eventually constructed more than 17,000 homes. He also added slightly larger homes as well as a new "ranch" design in addition to the original cape style home. Renters could move into one of the homes for $65 a month and the option to buy for just under $7,000. Veterans were not required to make a down payment. All of the homes had the same basic floor plan with only minor exterior differences, prompting some owners to paint their homes in unusual color combinations so that it could be distinguished from others in the area. All of the homes were equipped with a television and a modern kitchen, offering middle-class a comfortable home and the most sought-after modern amenities for an affordable price.

For all of its popularity, Levittown was not without its controversies. Like many other areas in the country, Levittown offered quiet homes in the suburbs--for whites only. The original Levittown covenant prevented nonwhites from buying or occupying the homes. Even African American veterans were not permitted to buy in Levittown, as Levitt believed that allowing nonwhites into the development would lower property values. Shelley v. Kramer, in 1948, struck down restrictive covenants, but Levittown remained largely segregated until well into the 1950s.

Levitt & Sons would go on to build similar developments in other parts of the country, including another Levittown, in Pennsylvania. But the original development is the most well-known and the one for which Levitt is most often remembered. Very few of the original, unaltered homes remain; most have been enlarged or have had the exteriors altered. Members of the Levittown Historical Society would like to find and purchase one of the unaltered original homes to house the museum but have thus far been unsuccessful. The museum, which includes replicas of rooms in Levittown houses as well as memorabilia from the Long Island in the 1950s, is currently housed in a building owned by the Levittown Public School system.

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