Little Boxes of Levittown

After 50 years of suburbia, is Levittown, Pennsylvania still the "World's Most Perfect Place to Live?" Filmmaker Boomer Wadaska takes a trip back home to find out.

***Update***
I posted this video, even though dated now in some specific areas, to see what kind of response I would get, especially from L-Towners. When this was shown as part of a PA film festival in Central PA, I had someone come up to me and say, "wow, I bet you'll never be allowed back there!"

The film wasn't made to degrade the place and its people (after all, my own cousin is shown in it!) What it was intended to do is to put up a mirror to ourselves in how we have become content in our stagnation and our obviliousness to what real problems we face in our hometown.
PS:it's NOT the traffic!

I hope that no one is embarrassed by this film. Many good things have happened to improve Levittown since it was first shown.
The NY-based developer who had allowed the shopping center to fall into disrepair was shown this film and demolition started the very next year.

Anyway, I encourage people to say what they will about this film, but know that place means a great deal to me and always will.

Boomer M. Wadaska
Greenbrook (1972-2002)
Truman HS 1991

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Levittown
• Pennsylvania
• suburbia
• Boomer
• Wadaska
• merska
• cinepunkstudios

[askaninja215]

levittown PA is awesome

[rickf35012]

I love living in levittown.I spent 28 years there untill I move to md to work. I live in goldenridge I think it was a great place to grow up.

[SexyMonkey620]

It's great that the developer came and fixed the old Levittown Shopping Center, but now we have a new shopping center that's DOUBLE IF NOT ALMOST TRIPLE THE SIZE OF THE ORIGINAL ONE!!!!! It doesn't make any sense!! How many Wal-Marts & Petsmart's does one area need?!?!?!

I would of loved to see how Levittown was like after it was first completed. I think Levittown, PA is a perfect representation of what happens to an area after people stop caring. Most people just sit and wait for the township

[alfredpeter1]

Malvina Reynolds was writing about a different kind of development than Levittown when one listens to the verses. "And the people in the Houses all went to the university".... "and drink their martinis dry" aren't part of the basic Levittown experience... mostly blue collar workers, happy with a cold beer. Levit built different models to avoid the sameness one sees in other developments even more pronounced. It's a catchy song but Malvina's real purpose in writing it is clearly different..

[samhainwitch1]

Schoolhouse lane rep!!!

[southshore516]

hahahah.... the part with the dramatic music and then it freezes on the "POOPY" graffiti. this is so weird... Levittown, NY looked just like this maybe 15-20 years ago before a lot of the houses were updated. village greens were burnt out and abandoned back then too, it's actually gotten somewhat nicer though. never thought i'd see that...

[chr028]

we moved into levittown in 1990. we lived on evergreen lane in elderberry. at that time it still had that 1950s flare to it but it was neat. we moved out after i graduated pennsbury in 1998. we moved to fairless hills its nice but i still miss levittown i truly do. "isolif nam" reverse it and you get my nickname i had at pennsbury. god bless you everyone may peace be with you...

[chr028]

yeah i remember the shopping center. and i miss it though it was worn down by the time the 21s century came along. it had cracked pavements and some areas bulging up potholes everywhere and mostly empty stores some with ceilings caved in or holes in the floor and/or both. however we soon forget what once stood a modern masterpiece of it's era. now it is just a memory.

[thrillbilly2]

Levittown.... what killed America

[prepschoolkid]

@ILVRACN Yea, then other countries we trade with will erect tarrifs,and we will not be able to sell our crap. Tariffs would be the worst thing for the economy.

[rzm61]

Man I miss Levittown.

[ILVRACN]

@cooldan11 It's not so much Capitalism. The working class can't make it anymore, our factories have been outsourced and every other job takes special skills. We need tariffs and to end this world economy crap.