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This area of the website is dedicated to
things that made Levittown a great
community. There is a photo gallery at
the bottom of the page.
The Rules
Of course, you cannot be the "perfect
community" without a set of rules to
follow. A 1950s version of today’s
“Homeowner’s Association Covenants”,
Levitt & Sons published, and had new
home owner’s agree to and sign, a set of
rules regarding the appearance and
maintenance of their new homes. Click on
the link below.
Levittown Shop-A-Rama
Opening on October 15, 1953, The
Levittown Shop-A-Rama had 90+ stores
including Woolworths, Kresges, Pomeroys,
Sears and Penneys. It was Levittown's
main shopping center and was, in 1953,
the biggest shopping center east of the
Mississippi with over 5,000 parking
spots. It was the center of the
community and in 1960, JFK made
presidential campaign speech there.
The Levittown Shop-A-Rama was where
you;
cashed your paycheck
mailed your letters
bought weekly groceries
bought all your housewares
shopped for school clothes
saw Santa & bought Christmas presents
went to the movies
bought toys for the kids
met your friends for a soda
saw the parrot at Cappys Shoes
bought supplies for Little League
rode the elephant train
bought auto parts
got your prescriptions filled
Here is a partial listing of stores
at the Shop-A-Rama (from Levittown
Relics website)
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Adam's Clothes |
Larmon(?) Camera Shop |
Singer Sewing Center |
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Alston's Hallmark |
Levine's Fabrics |
State Liquor Store |
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Bob's Big Boy |
Levittown Barber Shop |
Sun Ray Drugs |
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Boscovs |
Levittown Tavern |
The Cellar |
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Cappy's "Stride-Rite" Shoes |
Lobel's Youth Center |
The Hitching Post |
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Carousel Ice Cream |
M&M Sporting Goods |
The Lerner Shops |
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Carvel Ice Cream |
McCrorys |
The PVC Store |
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Corestates Bank |
Melody Music |
The RX Place |
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Eastern News |
Pantry Pride |
The Yardstick |
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Ed's Coin & Stamp |
Penn Fruit |
Thom McCann Shoes |
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First Union Bank |
Pep Boys |
Towne Theatre |
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Food Fair |
Philadelphia National Bank |
Turning Point Dance Studio |
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Halperin Realty |
Playtown |
U.S Post Office - Wm. Levitt
Branch |
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Hobby Lobby |
Pomeroys |
W.T. Grants |
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J.C. Penny |
Ports |
Western Savings Bank |
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Kiddie City |
Sears |
Western Warehouse |
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Kresges |
Shellenberger's |
Woolworths |
Country Club Shopping Center
In 1954, a strip mall called the
Country Club Shopping Center was built
on Route 1 in Middletown Township,
providing more local shopping options.
It was close to our families house in
Snowball Gate and I spent a lot of time
there. My favorite store was the WT
Grant 5 & 10 store because they had a
hot dog and soda fountain. The soda was
served from a Hires root beer barrel
display. That barrel fascinated me as a
young kid. I remember thinking "How does
soda come from a barrel and not lose its
fizz?"
Later, a larger department store
called “Two Guys”, sort of the Walmart
of the 1960s, was added. We did our
Christmas shopping there and at the
Shop-A-Rama.
Food Fair Super Market
Unlike the pre-WWII neighborhood
markets, the Food fair was a real
“super” market. All of your food needs
under one roof. Food Fair was once one
of the 5 top grocery chains in the
country. Food Fair was an innovator in
retail grocery, pioneering: electronic
registers, scanning, UPC, combination
stores, discount grocery stores (Pantry
Pride), etc.
The L.P.R.A.
Five of the recreation areas that
Levitt built included Olympic-sized
swimming pools. People joined the
Levittown Public Recreation Association
(LPRA) and many Levittowner parents (and
most of us kids) spent their summers at
one of the neighborhood pools.
Country
Club Pool - located between Snowball Gate and
Forsythia Gate
Pinelake Pool
- located between Pinewood and
Lakeside
Magnolia Pool
- located between Magnolia and
Elderberry Pond
Indian Creek
- located Pool in Indian Creek
Brook Pool
- located in Stonybrook
Levittown Civic Association
1955 Miss Levittown Contest
In Levittown, community-sponsored
activities provided wholesome fun
throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s. The
Miss Levittown contest from 1955 is a
classic example of one of these
activities. My father took these shots.
Do you recognize anyone?
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The Beauty Contest was held at Ben Franklin School .
(Wagner Photo 1955) |
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The Semi-Finalists – 1955
(Wagner Photo 1955) |
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The Swimsuit Competition
(Wagner Photo 1955) |
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The Winner - Ms Levittown 1955
(Wagner Photo 1955) |
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Racism & Integration in Levittown
Levittown, PA had its share of
growing pains. In Levittown's early
years, Levitt refused to sell homes to
African-Americans. In 1957 one family, named
Myers, purchased a home in the Dogwood
Hollow section.
COMING SOON
News Article (Times - 1957)
This caused a big ruckus and emotions
flared. Mobs gathered outside of the
house and threw rocks and bottles,
breaking windows. One neighbor who had
helped the black family had a cross
burned on his lawn. Daisy Myers became
sort of the “Rosa Parks” of Levittown by
refusing to leave. The Myer’s family
lived in Levittown for a while, but
eventually moved away in the late 1950s.
By the time, I was growing up in
Levittown in the 1960s, race was not
such a big deal. There were not many
black families, but those that came were
accepted by almost everybody.
COMING SOON
(Tom Oliver 1970)
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the perfect community
