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The Making of Urban America by John
William Reps, Princeton University Press, 1965. |
| US$49.50 at Amazon |
The Making of Urban America is an
astounding compendium of essays, histories, and maps detailing the growth of urban
planning in the United States. Beginning with basic planning concepts in pre-colonial
Europe, and concluding with the rise of "Main Street" America in the 1920s,
Making offers concentrated and informative examinations of urban design, all of which
provide enlightenment of our urban heritage.
John Reps, a pre-eminent figure in the urban planning
world for several decades, has explored the roots of town and city design and he has
transformed that information into thorough compositions such as this. Reps delves into
each essay so intensely that many of his papers name seemingly unusual and out of place
entities. I was particularly taken by an essay discussing the birth and development of
Washington, D.C., where the author wrote in such detail that he named landowners and small
waterways in the Potomac area. Reps' close attention to accuracy and brilliant writing
actually save the book from becoming a boring, drab textbook.
Along with the enjoyable essays, Reps provides plans for
cities across the United States, and attaches concise notes about each map. When the book
begins, plans from Europe are displayed, and as the colonial expansion into America
begins, readers are shown charts and maps from several notable colonial cities, such as
Jamestown and Boston. And since the book continues in chronological order, Reps highlights
important planning notes from the early nineteenth century into World War I. Also included
are plans and pictures of two of America's most famous cities, New York City and
Washington. I truly enjoyed Reps' discussions on the creation of the Mall and Central
Park, and reading about his feelings for urban open spaces. Furthermore, Reps uses such
commonplace items in the urban world, such as town squares and tree-lined streets, to
explain how people and livelihoods are interlaced into the urban spectrum.
The Making of Urban America is a fascinating and
enjoyable book that follows the evolution of urban planning in the United States. Using
clever and elucidative essays and histories, as well as maps and plans for communities
across the nation, John Reps has authored a compelling work that anyone intrigued by city
planning should read.