This past weekend I took a tour of one of President Roosevelt's "New Deal" towns. Back in the 1930's when the "boys" were returning from war, the United States wanted to ease their transition by giving them affordable housing to come home to, along with jobs. Enter Eleanor Roosevelt and her three "Green" towns, one of which was in Wisconsin.
Essentially, the returning vets could apply for housing in these towns based on their income and rent the houses from the government. The government also provided a base of stores and services to get things rolling, and within two years, the vets were able to buy the houses and take over the businesses.
The town I toured still resembles the town it once was, and the people who grew up there stayed. The town is close to a big city, close to an airport, and yet it is insulated from the rest of the world.
There's a statue of Norman Rockwell, painting on the village square. A fountain dedicated to Eleanor Roosevelt, and other statues/monuments throughout this family-centric town.
Because the original housing is now 80 years old, there is some maintenance that needs to be done, although the construction was designed to last - and it has. With changing times, some modifications were necessary. For instance, most homes are no longer fueled by coal. Chimneys are no longer used, which causes moisture to creep in and decay the structure. Enter one of the townspeople, a mason, who not only repaired the chimneys, he wanted to hide the "knot" his repairs caused with an artistic touch so he covered the knot with artwork. These chimney decorations add to the charm of the town.
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| Hooray for... Arrowood? |
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| Luck of the Irish |
As you wander the streets - and they're all connected with walking paths, many of the roads don't go through to minimize the through traffic - if you look up, you'll see examples of what makes this town unique. It is holding on to its history, while maintaining its civic pride. Here are just a few.
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| Berry Ct. |
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| The hand of God |
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| Police - represent! |
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| ...And the firemen |
Essentially, the returning vets could apply for housing in these towns based on their income and rent the houses from the government. The government also provided a base of stores and services to get things rolling, and within two years, the vets were able to buy the houses and take over the businesses.
Fascinating. Thanks for sharing. Do I sense a book in the works?
ReplyDeleteThat's the plan. :-)
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