Levittown and the suburban dream of postwar New York
When Johnny came marching home again, there were lots of hurrahs, but precious few apartments.
So it was in September 1946 that war veteran Daily Newsman Charles McHarry , who had been living in a hotel room for the five months since his discharge from the Army, reported on Everyman's search for a good $75-a-month apartment, not including bribes to doormen and supers.
McHarry figured he could slip somebody $20, but a doorman in the East 50s demanded $75 upfront for the promise of a furnished three-room flat. And the rent would be $125, take it or leave it. McHarry passed . Eventually, a bartender steered him to another place, at just $100, and McHarry quickly accepted .
Most of the city's other conquering heroes and there were 765,000 of them weren't so lucky. Many found themselves moving back in with their folks, and sometimes they brought new brides with them, sometimes even babies. Others had to make do with whatever they could find cheap hot...