June 23 will mark the 72nd anniversary of the day first residents – John and Philomena Dougherty – moved into their home in Levittown, writes JD Mullane for the Bucks County Courier Times.
Since then, the Bucks County town has thrived.
As it was settled in the mid-20th century, at the height of the Cold War, some residents opted to install bomb shelters in their backyards in case of a nuclear attack. There was even a bomb shelter sales office at Levittown Shopping Center.
While the town is known for its bomb shelters, the houses don’t have basements. At the height of its construction, Levitt and Sons built around 40 houses a day. The dwellings went up so fast that there was no time left to dig foundations. Instead, houses were constructed on concrete slabs with copper-piped radiant heat systems.
Levittown is a “cool city” thanks to its creators, who hated the summer heat-trapping effects of concrete in New York City so ensured there were lawns surrounding every house they built.
Read more about Levittown in the Bucks County Courier Times.
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