Hooverville
Hooverville was the popular name for a shanty town, examples of which were found in many United States communities during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The name Hooverville has also been used to describe the tent cities commonly found in America.
The word "Hooverville" derives from the name of the President of the United States at the beginning of the Depression, Herbert Hoover. They used Hoover's name because they were frustrated and disappointed with his involvement in the relief effort for the Depression. In addition to financial troubles during the Depression, a drought in the Mississippi Valley forced farmers to auction their land for taxes and reside in Hoovervilles.
These settlements were often formed in horrible neighbourhoods or desolate areas and consisted of dozens or hundreds of shacks and tents that were temporary residences of those left unemployed and homeless by the Depression. People slept in anything from open piano crates to the ground. Authorities did not officially recognize these Hoovervilles and occasionally removed the occupants for technically trespassing on private lands, but they were frequently tolerated out of necessity.
Some of the men who were forced to live in these conditions possessed building skills and were able to build their houses out of stone. Most people, however, resorted to building their residences out of box wood, cardboard, and any scraps of metal they could find. Some individuals even lived in sewer mains.
Most of these unemployed residents of the Hoovervilles begged for food from those who had housing during this era. Several other terms came into use during this era, such as "Hoover blanket" (old newspaper used as blanketing) and "Hoover flag" (an empty pocket turned inside out). "Hoover leather" was cardboard used to line a shoe with the sole worn through. A "Hoover wagon" was a car with horses tied to it because the owner could not afford gasoline; in Canada, these were known as Bennett buggies. Hoovervilles were known to be a home for people who couldn't pay their mortgages.
Notable Hoovervilles
In Central Park, New York City, Hooverville existed between 1931-33 in the former Lower Reservoir of the city water supply system, which was being emptied and landscaped into the Great Lawn and Turtle Pond.
The Bonus Army, a group of World War I veterans seeking expedited benefits, established a Hooverville in Anacostia in the District of Columbia in 1932. At its maximum there were 15,000 people living there. The camp was demolished by units of the U.S. Army under Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Major Dwight D. Eisenhower and Gen. George S. Patton.
Seattle had its largest Hooverville on the tidal flats adjacent to the Port of Seattle that lasted from 1932 to 1941.
The largest long-lived Hooverville was on the shores of the Mississippi River in St. Louis, with a population of more than 1,000.
Brooklyn, New York, had a "Hoover City" from roughly Columbia Street to Court Street and from Mill Street to Lorraine Street.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooverville
====
年初在中央公园看到些Bushville的帐棚,后来读史读到Hooverville.
查了一下维基,还真是纽约特色。
- Re: Hoovervilleposted on 09/15/2008
It might be worthwhile to watch Frank Capra's IT'S WONDERFUL LIFE again, even if Christmas is still very far. It's such a touching story how people weathered the financial storm back in early 1930s, and things that may have happened in Pottersville... - Re: Hoovervilleposted on 09/16/2008
Love this movie!
Fengzi wrote:
It might be worthwhile to watch Frank Capra's IT'S WONDERFUL LIFE again,
Please paste HTML code and press Enter.
(c) 2010 Maya Chilam Foundation