Birthplace of the 'Burbs

"Lakewood, California's first major mass-produced subdivision, sprang to life in the early 1950s, when thousands of young families flocked to buy into the American dream in a booming postwar economy. Using assembly-line methods, workers built as many as 100 homes a day between 1950 and 1953, according to city spokesman Don Waldie, author of "Holy Land," a book based in part on the city's history."

"On 3,500 acres of what was once farmland, developers Louis Boyar, Mark Taper and Ben Weingart built more than 17,000 homes, each on lots of 50 by 100 feet. When the homes went on sale in April 1950, as many as 25,000 people visited the sales office in one weekend."

"It's a place where I feel like my property values are increasing, not decreasing. The neighbors seem to share the Neilsens' energy for sprucing up their homes and yards, creating a community where residents take pride in maintaining their property."

Lakewood, a city of 78,000 in southeast Los Angeles County, originated as California's first major mass-produced subdivision in the early 1950s. Developers Louis Boyar, Mark Taper, and Ben Weingart constructed over 17,000 homes on 3,500 acres of former farmland using assembly-line methods, building up to 100 homes daily between 1950 and 1953. Each home sat on 50 by 100-foot lots with seven available models featuring one or two to three bedrooms. The community attracted thousands of young families seeking the American dream during the postwar economic boom. Today, Lakewood continues to appeal to homeowners like Mike and Darlene Neilsen, who relocated there seeking a safe, quiet neighborhood where residents maintain their properties and invest in their community.

Read at Los Angeles Times