BOSTON'S DORMANCY: 1920 - 1950
The city stagnated and its neighborhood consolidated during this period of restricted immigration, depression, and war. The population continued its slow growth, and new groups did not arrive until larger numbers of Puerto Ricans and southern African-Americans came to Boston after WWII. With few people moving, Boston established its famous ethnic neighborhoods. The suburbs continued to grow along streetcar lines and roads serving the new automobile.
PEOPLEEthnic whites, African-Americans, Puerto Ricans, Chinese
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PLACEStagnation, highway development, suburbanization, urban renewal
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ECONOMYManufacturing decline, high tech emerges in suburbs
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PLANNINGPolitical planning, modern professional planners emerge
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PEOPLE
Downtown Boston, 1930s
The Immigration Act of 1924 effectively put a halt to the age of immigration in America. Boston’s population continued to grow during this era, but at a much slower pace. The City of Boston reached its all time population peak at 801,444 people in 1950 before beginning a 50-year decline.
Yet, Boston continued to receive migrants. America’s internal Great Migration brought southern African-Americans and Puerto Ricans to Boston. The new communities settled primarily in the South End and Lower Roxbury (Fisher, 1992). They came seeking economic opportunities in the industrial city, especially during and after World War II.
Yet, Boston continued to receive migrants. America’s internal Great Migration brought southern African-Americans and Puerto Ricans to Boston. The new communities settled primarily in the South End and Lower Roxbury (Fisher, 1992). They came seeking economic opportunities in the industrial city, especially during and after World War II.
PLACE
Two trends dominated the physical changes in the city during this era; a near stoppage of building and changes in transportation that allowed the city to spread out. New building regulations like height limits and setback requirements combined with economic depression to stop dense building.
The use of streetcars declined rapidly in these years. Motor buses began to replace them on many routes. The rapid transit system transitioned to more emphasis on heavy rail subways. Early highways like Storrow Drive, Morrissey Boulevard, and the precursor to the Route 128 expressway enabled more auto use and suburbanization.
The need for affordable housing continued, and the market struggled to meet demand. The city and the federal government responded by building public housing developments. Most of Boston’s public housing projects were built between 1938 and 1954. The earliest projects were concentrated in lower-income parts of politically influential districts, such as the Old Harbor development in South Boston. New developments quickly followed in Charlestown, East Boston, the South End, Mission Hill, Roxbury, and Jamaica Plain (Fisher, 1992).
The use of streetcars declined rapidly in these years. Motor buses began to replace them on many routes. The rapid transit system transitioned to more emphasis on heavy rail subways. Early highways like Storrow Drive, Morrissey Boulevard, and the precursor to the Route 128 expressway enabled more auto use and suburbanization.
The need for affordable housing continued, and the market struggled to meet demand. The city and the federal government responded by building public housing developments. Most of Boston’s public housing projects were built between 1938 and 1954. The earliest projects were concentrated in lower-income parts of politically influential districts, such as the Old Harbor development in South Boston. New developments quickly followed in Charlestown, East Boston, the South End, Mission Hill, Roxbury, and Jamaica Plain (Fisher, 1992).
ECONOMY
Boston’s economy struggled through an extended depression. Building all but ceased in downtown Boston and New England gradually lost its textile and manufacturing industries to the south and west. What little growth that did occur, took place in the suburbs rather than the city center. Towards the end of the period, the educational, high tech, and financial service sectors, which would later lead Boston back to prosperity began to emerge.
PLANNING
Monastery Project, Brighton, 1950
Newly formed agencies such as the Planning Board, the Metropolitan District Commission, the Boston Housing Authority, and the Metropolitan Transit Authority began taking the lead in city building projects and publishing plans for future projects. The first plans for the Central Artery Highway were created during this period, as was the state’s first highway master plan (Tsipis, 2000).