Ocean State Libraries

Written by one of this country's foremost urban historians, Downtown is the first history of what was once viewed as the heart of the American city. It tells the fascinating story of how downtown-and the way Americans thought about downtown-changed over time. By showing how businessmen and property owners worked to promote the well-being of downtown, even at the expense of other parts of the city, it also gives a riveting account of spatial politics...

Text and illustrations trace the evolution of an imaginary but typical American city from the turn of the century to the 1980's.

Introduces the daily lives of people who settled in the first cities in the United States, discussing houses, clothing, schools, and work.