Levittown

Inspired by a vision of affordable, suburban life, William J. Levitt is often credited with the creation of American suburbia. His company, Levitt & Sons, built two such developments—both named Levittown—one on Long Island and one just north of Philadelphia. Levitt & Sons retained Dilworth in connection with the planned Pennsylvania development.

After completion of the Long Island development, Levitt & Sons began plans for a community in Pennsylvania. Before beginning construction on the project, the company aimed to acquire the land needed to complete the project incrementally without disrupting the local land market.

With the help of Dilworth, Levitt & Sons was able to aggregate 5500 acres of farmland and woods throughout Bucks County municipalities of Bristol, Falls, Middletown, and Tullytown. The purchase transactions were accomplished by 70 individual purchasers/landowners, in small quantities and at a lower cost.

In the dawn of the post-WWII housing shortage, Levitt & Sons was able to offer affordable housing to returning GIs and their families. By December 1957 the project was completed. Levittown, Pennsylvania consisted of 17,311 houses across 171 miles of roads, and now stands as one of the milestones of American suburban life in the 20th century.