Post-WWII housing boom

I like old stuff. So when I show you a Downey house, it's usually an old house. ("Old," in Downey, means pre-WWII.)

But Downey changed and grew dramatically after World War II. New housing tracts popped up all over and were quickly snatched up by young families, including my parents. This particular block is typical of the houses built in the 50s. Each house in this 7-house block was nearly identical in floor plan, about 1,100 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The house in the picture to the right cost my parents $11,440 in December 1950.

Amazingly enough, this particular neighborhood has totally resisted the "McMansion" urge to build up. (See You want to supersize that?) It looks much the same today as it did 60 years ago.