Levittowner
Syllabication: Lev•it•town•er
Pronunciation: (lev'it-toun"-er)
Definition: 1. Noun - A name given to a
resident of Levittown.
2. Noun - A name given to residents of
any U.S. post–World War II new suburbs,
typically middle-class families living in
inexpensive, single-unit housing outside urban
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Levittowners.COM is a website for
people who grew up in Levittown, PA.
This site is all about the great social
experiment that was, and is, our
hometown of Levittown, PA.
Levittowners.com launched in 1997 & the
site has been evolving ever since. Over
the years, we have been contacted by
thousands of "Levittowners" who have
also contributed to the current
content. We hope you enjoy it.
Rich Wagner - Snowball
Gate & Neshaminy Langhorne Class of 1977
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Introduction
"Levittowners" was the name given to the
young, post WWII families, like Dick & Betty Wagner, who moved
out of a row house in Northeast Philly
in search of the American dream of owing
their own single family home with a
yard. In post-WWII America, Levittown,
PA represented a new lifestyle, in a
"modern suburban planned community", and
Levitt was the pioneer, offering
affordable homes to ordinary people.
Levittown, PA was the prototype of post-WWII Suburbia.
It was built from 1951 to December 1957 by developer
Levitt & Sons, whose front man was William J. Levittt.
The community covered 22 square miles and over 5,500
acres in lower Bucks County.
At the time, it was the largest suburban planned
community in the United States. Levitt & Sons built
17,311 single-family homes and the community plan also
included churches, schools, swimming pools, and shopping
centers. It was inhabited by over 70,000 residents,
mostly WWII Veterans and their young families. They came
from Philly, Jersey, and Upstate PA to realize the
American Dream of owning a single family home with a
yard in Levittown.
The houses cost from just under $ 9,000 to $ 17,990,
fully equipped and landscaped. Levittown houses were
easy to buy, requiring only $100 down. For veterans, a
Levittowner was offered for no money down. Homeowners
paid around $60 a month in VA or FHA mortgage payment.
Newsflash:
The book “Levittown” was published in November
2010 by Arcadia Press.
Enjoy, Laugh, Remember, …
Enjoy the photos,
Laugh at the stories,
Remember the places.
The “Levittown” Book makes a
great gift! It is available from local Book Stores, the
Levittown Walmart, Levittown Walgreens, Barnes & Noble
and online at Amazon.com |
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