Unplanned Suburbs: Toronto's American Tragedy, 1900 to 1950It is widely believed that only the growth of mass suburbs after World War II brought suburban living within reach of blue-collar workers, immigrants, and racial minorities. But in this original and intensive study of Toronto, Richard Harris shows that even prewar suburbs were socially and ethnically diverse, with a significant number of lower-income North American families making their homes on the urban fringe. In the United States and Canada, lack of planning set the stage for a uniquely North American tragedy. Unplanned Suburbs serves as a reminder of the dangers of unchecked suburban growth. |
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Contents
Introduction | 1 |
The Rise of Metropolitan Suburbs | 21 |
Did the Factory Lead the Way? | 51 |
A City of Homes | 86 |
The End Justified the Means | 109 |
Civic Efficiency and Suburban Freedom | 141 |
The Rhetoric and Reality of Community Building | 168 |
A Romance of Common Life | 200 |
The Fall of the Unplanned Suburb | 233 |
Conclusion | 264 |
Property Assessment Records | 287 |
Social Class and the Classification of Occupations | 293 |
Notes | 297 |