The Beginning of Post-War Suburbs in the Wissahickon Valley Region
- Yen Ho
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
A few years ago, I did my own personal research about my neighborhood right outside of Ambler, and I stumbled upon this survey report from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. After reading through it and discovering that my house was part of the suburban housing developments after World War II, I decided to take a closer look and find other earlier homes built during the post-World War II era for this post.
Early History of Suburbanization in Philadelphia
"The early economy of the American colonies was based on farming, where individuals owned and controlled their own land. As trade and industry grew, so did cities, like Boston, Philadelphia, and New York. These early cities seemed crowded and dirty compared to the open spaces of the farm. So, even as the size and number of cities increased in America over the next two centuries, the notion of living on one’s own land in the country remained a powerful ideal."
- "City and Suburb: An Overview of Urbanization in the United States"
During the 18th century, a number of wealthy families in Philadelphia were already living outside the city to enjoy the quiet and peaceful space, as well as enjoy leisurely activities. (You can find their homes still standing when you visit Fairmount Park). From the American Revolution to the Yellow Fever outbreak in 1793, people living in the city were moving out to stay away from the conflict and the disease that spread throughout the city. One known resident moved out of her home in Germantown to stay at her relative's house, during the American Revolution, where she wrote all her entries in her diary.
With the rise of industry and factories being built in cities like Philadelphia, people began moving into the city to find work. As a result, cities were overcrowded and air was polluted from the operating factories. It wasn't until trains began to develop across the country, and people were able to move out of the city to live in the countryside (You can view my Online Exhibit on this topic HERE).
Trains became so popular streetcars began to appear in numerous areas, including the Wissahickon Valley Region. They became so popular it attracted middle class families to move into those neighborhoods. In the 1920s, cars became the ideal motor transportation for families as transit use declined. When cars became popular, highways began to develop across the country, leading to further suburban growth.
Post World War II Era in Montgomery County, PA
"The government was another player that encouraged movement out of the city. Federal legislation made it cheaper for someone to construct a new home outside of the city than to improve upon a preexisting structure in the city. Loans and subsidies were also provided to those willing to move to new planned suburbs (usually wealthier white families)."
- Colin Stief, "The History and Evolution of Suburbs"
From the 1950s to the 60s, both Whitpain and Lower Gwynedd townships's population grew due to the suburban housing developments in the area. The survey done by the PHMC found a few areas that have homes still standing since the 1950s.
In Lower Gwynedd, there are 10 neighborhoods that have homes still standing since the 1950s while in Whitpain, there are 12 neighborhoods with homes from the 1950s. Both Whitpain and Lower Gwynedd have similar, and also popular, architectural styles like Spilt-level, Cape Cod, Ranch, Colonial Revival, and Minimal traditional.
Haywood Park
One of the earliest suburban development that happened in Ambler was the Haywood Park neighborhood. The neighborhood was named about Joseph M. Haywood (1872-1936) who owned an estate on the lot. While the Artman Home took over the Haywood estate, developers took the opportunity to turn his huge lot into a suburban neighborhood.
Back in December 2024, I received an email from a resident in this neighborhood who asked to learn the history of Haywood Park during its early stages. The earliest homes built in the neighborhood was the Cape Cod style that is commonly used in Levittown. The cost of the Cape Cod homes were between $11,600-13,950. The split-level homes were built later in 1956. The cost of split-level homes were around $14,300.
Bibliography
"City and Suburb: An Overview of Urbanization in the United States." Summit County, Utah. Accessed January 30, 2025. https://www.summitcountyutah.gov/DocumentCenter/View/20863/History-of-Urban-Development-US.
Frantz, April, Keith Heinrich, Cheryl Nagle, and Kenneth Wolensky. "SR 202 Postwar Suburbs Historic Survey Report, SR 202, Section 600, East Norriton, Whitpain, Lower Gwynedd, Upper Gwynedd, and Montgomery Townships, Montgomery County." Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. April 17, 2012. https://www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/communities/pa-suburbs/files/SR_202_Survey_Report.pdf.
Stief, Colin. "The History and Evolution of Suburbs." ThoughtCo. Last modified August 15, 2018. https://www.thoughtco.com/overview-of-suburbs-1435799.
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