Hellerau is a northern quarter (Stadtteil) in the city of Dresden , Germany, slightly south of Dresden Airport. It was the first garden city in Germany. The northern section of Hellerau absorbed the village of Klotzsche, where some 18th century buildings remain.
75-423: Based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard , businessman Karl Schmidt-Hellerau founded Hellerau near Dresden in 1909. The idea was to create an organic, planned community . Several well-known architects participated in its construction, including Richard Riemerschmid , Heinrich Tessenow , Hermann Muthesius , Kurt Frick , Georg Metzendorf , Wilhelm Kreis and Bruno Paul . Whilst the concept of Hellerau builds on
150-424: A "humble and practical" inventor who used his spare time to create outlines of new cities. It was the social milieu of the 1800s which led Howard to consider the social problems of the time and try to find alternatives. Howard mingled with free thinkers, anarchists and socialists, whose revolutionary and reforming ideas greatly influenced him. Howard's parents died on consecutive days in 1900, after he had published
225-922: A Bowie postal address; and District 6 Station in Beltsville CDP serve the community. The federally planned and constructed inner core of the city was designated as the Greenbelt Historic District by the Maryland Historical Trust , and subsequently placed on the National Park Service 's maintained National Register of Historic Places on November 25, 1980. The historic district was elevated to National Historic Landmark District status on February 18, 1997. The district contains Roosevelt Center (originally named simply The Center , and later renamed in honor of President Roosevelt) and many buildings in
300-470: A citizen." In 2009, the city implemented several election reforms with the goal of increasing diversity: increasing the city council from five to seven members, adding another precinct in Greenbelt East to shorten voter lines, and amending the city charter to allow early voting. In the election held November 3, 2009, Emmett Jordan, an African American, was chosen by 75% of voters, electing him to
375-530: A farmer. He then relocated to Chicago and worked as a reporter for the courts and newspapers. Howard arrived in Chicago just after the great fire of 1871, which destroyed most of the central business district, and witnessed the regeneration of the city and the growth of its suburbs. In the US he became acquainted with, and admired, poets Walt Whitman and Ralph Waldo Emerson . Howard began to ponder ways to improve
450-479: A modern facility further to the south. The layout physically centres upon a small rectangular market square. Buildings are generally from one storey and attic to three storey, but all adopt a gentle cottage style. The exception to this is the large former water tower, now converted to housing use. To the north-west the Festspielhaus provides a cultural focus. This housed a Rhythmic Gymnastics centre during
525-422: A multi-functional space serving the local community. Ebenezer Howard Sir Ebenezer Howard OBE (29 January 1850 – 1 May 1928) was an English urban planner and founder of the garden city movement , known for his publication To-Morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform (1898), the description of a utopian city in which people live harmoniously together with nature. The publication resulted in
600-794: A north–south direction, running parallel to the B–W Parkway, providing an alternate travel route into Washington, D.C., from Greenbelt. The southernmost Maryland portion of Kenilworth Avenue forms a major interchange with both the B–W Parkway and US 50 near the Maryland–D.C. line, and continues into Washington, as the Kenilworth Avenue Freeway (DC 295) . Washington Metro 's rapid transit rail system serves Washington, D.C. , and neighboring communities in Maryland and Northern Virginia , by operating 98 Metro stations , which includes
675-519: A site that had formerly consisted largely of tobacco fields. She was also heavily involved in the first cooperative community designed by the federal government in the New Deal Era, Arthurdale, West Virginia , which sought to improve the lives of impoverished laborers by enabling them to create a self-sufficient, and relatively prosperous, cooperative community. Cooperatives in Greenbelt include
750-524: A stringent application process, moved in to the town on September 30, 1937. The construction consisted of structures built in the Art Deco , Streamline Moderne , and Bauhaus architectural styles . Greenbelt is credited as a historic milestone in urban development because it was the initial model for the privately constructed suburban Washington, D.C., planned cities of Reston, Virginia , and Columbia, Maryland . The original federally built core of
825-475: A vision of towns free of slums and enjoying the benefits of both town (such as opportunity, amusement and good wages) and country (such as beauty, fresh air and low rents). He illustrated the idea with his famous Three Magnets diagram (pictured), which addressed the question 'Where will the people go?', the choices being 'Town', 'Country' or 'Town-Country'. Garden Cities of Tomorrow proposed that society be reorganised with networks of garden cities that would break
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#1732783010543900-503: Is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland , United States, and a suburb of Washington, D.C. At the 2020 census , the population was 24,921. Greenbelt is the first and the largest of the three experimental and controversial New Deal Greenbelt Towns, the others being Greenhills, Ohio , and Greendale, Wisconsin . Greenbelt was planned and built by the federal government as an all-white town. The cooperative community
975-693: Is contiguous with a portion of Greenbelt's eastern border. NASA 's Goddard Space Flight Center , located directly adjacent to Greenbelt's eastern boundary, utilizes a Greenbelt postal address (Greenbelt, MD 20768), as well. It is partially within the former Goddard census-designated place . Greenbelt Park , a unit of the National Park System , is located within the City of Greenbelt's boundaries, at its southernmost portion. Two major highways pass through and have interchanges in Greenbelt:
1050-483: Is laid out as a series of curvilinear streets, of an overall organic type form. Materials are typically cream rendered walls on a stone base, with red tile roofs and green windows (mainly with shutters). The landscape is dominated by tall conifers. The Deutsche Werkstatten, a large factory involved in the production of craft furniture, played a central role in the function of the community, but geographically lies on its southern edge. Functionally this has been superseded by
1125-496: Is land and 0.06 square miles (142,846 square meters) is water. Greenbelt's ZIP Codes are 20770, 20771, and 20768. The ZIP Code 20770 contains all residential and business addresses that correspond to actual physical locations inside the geographic boundaries of the City of Greenbelt. The 20768 ZIP Code is assigned exclusively to post-office box (P.O. Box) addresses, while 20771 is the designated ZIP Code for Goddard Space Flight Center , situated on federal government owned land that
1200-544: Is satisfying to the needs of the people. Welwyn Garden City was an area of woodlands and open fields before the garden city was constructed. Welwyn Garden City was Howard's second Garden City after Letchworth. Howard purchased the land with £5000 borrowed from friends. Welwyn Garden City is only 20 miles (32 km) from London, and captured the charm of the countryside and managed to stay unspoiled by urbanisation. The architecture in Welwyn has been described as pleasant, and
1275-738: Is served by Eleanor Roosevelt High School (Greenbelt), a school which includes a Science and Technology magnet program and an AP Capstone program. There is a public magnet school within the City: There are no private schools within the City of Greenbelt. There is a Catholic school in nearby Lanham CDP , Academy of Saint Matthias the Apostle. The Lanham Act was used to build North End Elementary School. The original Greenbelt High School building (later used for Greenbelt Junior High, Greenbelt Middle, and currently Dora Kennedy French Immersion School) opened in c. 1937 . Originally,
1350-688: The Greenbelt News Review , Greenbelt Consumers Coop grocery store, the New Deal Cafe , and the cooperative forming the downtown core of original housing, Greenbelt Homes Incorporated (GHI). The architectural planning of Greenbelt was innovative, as was the social engineering involved in this federal government project. Applicants for residency were interviewed and screened based on income and occupation, and willingness to become involved in community activities. African-Americans were initially excluded, but were later included by
1425-406: The 2010 U.S. Census and 24,921 at the 2020 census . Greenbelt is located at 38°59′41″N 76°53′07″W / 38.99467°N 76.885399°W / 38.99467; -76.885399 . According to United States Census Bureau data, as of January 1, 2018, the city has a total area of 6.23 square miles (16,146,235 square meters ), of which 6.18 square miles (16,003,389 square meters)
1500-687: The Art Deco style. Roosevelt Center contains the Greenbelt Co-op Supermarket and Pharmacy (the Co-op), which opened in 1984, and the original, historic Old Greenbelt Theatre , while also adding the Greenbelt Arts Center (located underneath the Co-op, in what was previously the city's bowling alley ), and additional new businesses such as the New Deal Cafe , with its name honoring the origins of its location. Both
1575-788: The CSX System . Also available at Greenbelt station was a weekday express Metrobus service, the Greenbelt–BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport Express Line (commonly shortened to the Greenbelt–BWI Airport Line), designated route B30, to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), a mode of transportation to and from the airport for airline passengers, in addition to allowing for connections to Baltimore's regional transit services. This service ended in 2020. Metrobus , Prince George's County's THE BUS (routes 11 and 15X), and
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#17327830105431650-832: The Capital Beltway (I-95/I-495) and the National Park Service 's owned and maintained portion of the Baltimore–Washington Parkway ( unsigned MD 295). The Greenbelt portion of the Baltimore–Washington Parkway (B–W Parkway) is part of the parkway's 19-mile section which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. Additionally, Greenbelt Road is part of state highway MD 193 , which connects several suburban communities in both Prince George's and Montgomery counties. Kenilworth Avenue (MD 201) traverses Greenbelt in
1725-730: The Federal Works Agency controlled North End Elementary School, Greenbelt High School, and the Center School. High Point High School , in Beltsville , opened in fall 1954, and began serving students from Greenbelt. The former Greenbelt High School then became Greenbelt Junior High School. The county bought Center School for $ 260,000, after the federal government renovated it in July 1958. The county also bought Greenbelt Junior High and North End Elementary. Roosevelt High
1800-594: The Greenbelt station , the northern terminus of Metro's Green Line . Commuter rail service to the station is provided by MARC Train 's Camden Line , which connects the District of Columbia 's Washington Union Station with Camden Station in Baltimore . The Camden Line provides service by utilizing the original 1835 Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) track route between Washington and Baltimore, now part of
1875-466: The Second World War . The central building here still holds some remnants of its communist past, when it served as a Russian barracks from 1945 until 1989. The building has been restored and is now a base for a dance company. Surrounding buildings are partly restored, with sections also hoped to create a base for resident artists. The community park surrounding the complex, Golgi Park, creates
1950-915: The United States Congress passed the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 . Then under the authority granted to him from this legislation, President Roosevelt issued an executive order , on May 1, 1935, establishing the United States Resettlement Administration (RA / RRA) . Rexford Tugwell agreed to serve as the Administrator of the Resettlement Administration, in addition to his Undersecretary of Agriculture position, without receiving any additional salary. Working alongside Tugwell
2025-634: The United States Department of Justice opened an investigation into the city's election system. In 2008, the city government hosted three public community meetings regarding election reform, in concert with the ACLU, NAACP, and FairVote . Over 100 residents attended the forums, including one of the unsuccessful African American candidates, Jeanette Gordy, who said, "My concern is that people don't get off their royal behinds. By going to meetings I got what I wanted and found out I had power as
2100-606: The United States Resettlement Administration (RA/RRA) . First called Maryland Special Project No. 1 , the project was officially named Greenbelt when the Division of Suburban Resettlement of the Resettlement Administration began construction, on January 13, 1936, about eight miles north of Washington. The complete Greenbelt plans were reviewed at the White House by President Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt on April 30, 1936. The first tenants, after selection in
2175-566: The University of Maryland 's Shuttle-UM (route 143; University ID required) each have bus routes which serve the city of Greenbelt. Through a city–university partnership between 2017 and 2019, Greenbelt residents were permitted to unlimited travel on Shuttle UM, with the purchase of a $ 10 annual pass. The City operates limited transportation via the Greenbelt Connection, a 12-passenger wheelchair-accessible van. Greenbelt
2250-655: The co-partnership housing movement , his ideas attracted enough attention and funding to begin Letchworth Garden City , a suburban garden city 37 miles (60 km) north of London. In 1901, under the guidance of Henry Vivian, a new co-partnership housing development venture was started in the London Borough of Ealing that was to become the Brentham Garden Suburb , now a conservation area. A second garden city, Welwyn Garden City ,
2325-591: The 'Garden Cities and Town Planning Association' – presently the International Federation for Housing and Planning . Howard was an enthusiastic speaker of Esperanto , often using the language for his speeches. Howard died on 1 May 1928 (aged 78) and is buried in a modest grave in Letchworth Cemetery with his second wife, Edith Annie, Lady Howard. Letchworth was developed and owned by a company called First Garden City, Ltd. which
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2400-513: The Co-op and the New Deal Cafe carry on a tradition from the city's inception, as they operate as non-profit cooperative membership corporations . Greenbelt is served by Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS). There are three public elementary schools serving sections of Greenbelt: All of Greenbelt is served by Greenbelt Middle School (Greenbelt), which includes a Talented and Gifted magnet program. All of Greenbelt
2475-631: The Council as Mayor Pro Tem, the second-highest city official. Voter turnout increased from 1,898 to 2,399 voters (a 26% increase in ballots cast) from 2007 to 2009. In the election held November 5, 2013, Emmett Jordan was chosen by 77% of voters, and receiving highest vote count was then elected Mayor by the council. Prince George's County Police Department District 1 Station in Hyattsville ; District 2 Station in Brock Hall CDP , with
2550-564: The Council selects the Mayor and the Mayor Pro Tem (who assumes the duties of the Mayor when the Mayor is unavailable). The Council has traditionally chosen the member with the highest vote count to be Mayor and the member with the second-highest vote count as Mayor Pro Tem. Elections are held every two years, in odd-numbered years, in part to diminish the influence of political parties. Political party affiliations are not an official part of
2625-470: The Garden City could be achieved, and hoped that in its success many other towns would be built emulating the same ideals. Some criticisms of Letchworth exist, claims that it is too spacious and there are few architecturally impressive designs. However, it can be argued the space is what makes Letchworth pleasant, and the architecture, while not highly impressive and uniform, has consistency of colour and
2700-478: The Greenbelt Committee for Fair Housing founded in 1963, and came to account for 41% of residents, according to the 2000 census. The same census data also indicates that African-Americans are isolated in certain parts within the town, and the percentage of African-Americans within the historic area is between 0% and 5% on most blocks. Much of the federal government planned and developed portion of
2775-660: The Maryland American Civil Liberties Union and Prince George's County NAACP sent a letter to the Greenbelt City Council claiming that Greenbelt's at-large system may violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 . According to the letter, the 2000 Census indicated that African-Americans constituted 38% of Greenbelt's voting-age population, Asians 13%, and Latinos 6%. At the time, however, all members of
2850-427: The age of 18 living with them, 30.7% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.9% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.12. The median age in
2925-420: The age of 18 living with them, 33.1% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.0% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 3.00. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under
3000-460: The age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 39.1% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 6.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 46,328, and the median income for a family was $ 55,671. Males had a median income of $ 39,133 versus $ 35,885 for females. The per capita income for
3075-423: The city council were white. The letter proposed that the city switch to single-winner district-based voting , cumulative voting , or choice voting , and indicated a lawsuit would follow if no reform were implemented. While the city population is racially diverse, only two African Americans had run for Council in the 30 years preceding the 2009 election, one of whom had withdrawn before the election. In June 2008,
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3150-422: The city election process and are seldom part of candidate campaigns. Regular council meetings are held on Mondays, twice per month except during July, August, and December, when meetings are held once per month. The City Council is supported by 14 advisory boards and committees of citizen volunteers. The council appoints a professional city manager responsible for supervising government operations and implementing
3225-502: The city is located within the Greenbelt Historic District. Greenbelt was the subject of the 1939 documentary film The City . In 2021, the city created a reparations task force to study the issue of whether or not to award reparations to African-Americans in Greenbelt. During the census of 2010, there were 23,068 people, 9,747 households, and 5,367 families residing in the city. The population density
3300-421: The city was $ 25,236. About 6.0% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 12.7% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over. The City of Greenbelt operates under a council-manager government as established by the city charter, the first such arrangement in Maryland. The Council consists of seven members elected by plurality-at-large voting . From their members,
3375-403: The city was 33.7 years. 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 34.4% were from 25 to 44; 25.3% were from 45 to 64, and 7.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.7% male and 53.3% female. For the census of 2000, there were 21,456 people, 9,368 households, and 4,965 families residing in the city. The population density
3450-420: The city, known locally as Old Greenbelt , was recognized as the Greenbelt Historic District by the Maryland Historical Trust , and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark District . Greenbelt's population, which includes residents of privately built dwellings dating from after the end of the federal government's ownership of the city, was recorded as 23,068 at
3525-563: The countryside. The only publication he wrote in his life was titled To-Morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform , which was significantly revised in 1902 as Garden Cities of To-morrow . Garden Cities of To-morrow was based on ideas of social and urban reform. Garden Cities were to avoid the downfalls of industrial cities of the time such as urban poverty, overcrowding, low wages, dirty alleys with no drainage, poorly ventilated houses, toxic substances, dust, carbon gases, infectious disease and lack of interaction with nature. This book offered
3600-593: The development of " New Towns " after World War II by the British government. This produced more than 30 communities, the first being Stevenage , Hertfordshire (about halfway between Letchworth and Welwyn), and the last (and largest) being Milton Keynes , Buckinghamshire. Howard's ideas also influenced other planners such as Frederick Law Olmsted II and Clarence Perry . Walt Disney used elements of Howard's concepts in his original design for EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow). In 1913, Howard founded
3675-496: The first edition of his book, but before work had started on the first garden city: his mother died on 23 November 1900 from pneumonia and his father died on 24 November 1900 from gastritis . Howard's wife, Eliza Ann Bills (1853–1904), died in November 1904, shortly after work on the first garden city at Letchworth had begun. Howard married again in 1907 to Edith Annie Hayward (1864–1941), who became Edith, Lady Howard when Howard
3750-661: The first garden city, at Letchworth in the UK, it in turn went on to influence other similar developments elsewhere. Specifically, the Catalan architect Rafael Masó i Valentí visited Hellerau in 1912, and went on to build the garden community at S'Agaró on the Costa Brava in Spain. Hellerau attracted cultural visionaries from all over Europe. Among them were Émile Jaques-Dalcroze , composer, and Mary Wigman , choreographer. Until
3825-413: The founding of the garden city movement , and the building of the first garden city, Letchworth Garden City , commenced in 1903. The second true Garden City was Welwyn Garden City (1920) and the movement influenced the development of several model suburbs in other countries, such as Forest Hills Gardens designed by F. L. Olmsted Jr. in 1909, Radburn, New Jersey (1923), Pinelands, Cape Town , and
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#17327830105433900-460: The four Suburban Resettlement Program towns of the 1930s, Greenbelt, Maryland , Greenhills, Ohio , Greenbrook, New Jersey , and Greendale, Wisconsin . Howard aimed to reduce the alienation of humans and society from nature, and hence advocated garden cities and Georgism . Howard is believed by many to be one of the great guides to the town planning movement, with many of his garden city principles being used in modern town planning. Howard
3975-533: The garden city ideals of a self-reliant city. Howard was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1924 and a Knight Bachelor in 1927. The Howard medal was introduced after Howard’s death, and takes the form of a Bronze medal with the motif of an ideal city. The medal remains one of the most prestigious awards in the sector. In almost 90 years, the medal has been awarded 11 times and
4050-759: The names are a stellar cast of Garden City giants beginning with Raymond Unwin in 1938 and ending with Colin Ward and Sir Peter Hall in 1999. It includes Barry Parker , Lewis Mumford , Clarence Stein , Richard Reiss , Patrick Abercrombie and Frederic Osborn but only one woman, Elizabeth Buchanan Mitchell in 1955. Actress, dancer and TV personality Una Stubbs was Howard's great-granddaughter. Other direct descendants include his cricket manager grandson Geoffrey Howard , great-granddaughter poet and publisher Joy Bernadine Howard, and his great-great-grandson (Una Stubbs's son), television and film score composer Christian Henson . Greenbelt, Maryland Greenbelt
4125-589: The national economic recovery following the Great Depression . Greenbelt, which provided affordable housing for federal government workers, was one of three Greenbelt Towns conceived in 1935, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt 's Brain Trust member Rexford Tugwell , who was serving as the president's Undersecretary of Agriculture . The project was officially authorized in May 1935. First, on April 8, 1935,
4200-536: The perfect garden city, Howard notes these to be merely suggestive as each city should be planned to be organised as per the needs of the people and their environment. Howard never intended for garden cities to be circular like his diagrams. In 1899, he founded the Garden Cities Association, known now as the Town and Country Planning Association . By his association with Henry Harvey Vivian and
4275-548: The policies adopted by the council. The 2021 election selected the current city council: The council selects the City Manager: Of the ten incorporated cities in Prince George's County , Greenbelt is one of three with at-large elections for council and mayor (the others are District Heights and New Carrollton ). The remaining seven use combinations of districts and at-large voting. On February 28, 2008,
4350-485: The quality of life. By 1876, he was back in England, where he found a job with Hansard company, which produces the official verbatim record of Parliament , and he spent the rest of his life in this occupation. Howard's time in parliament exposed him to ideas about social reform, and helped inspire his ideas for the Garden City. In August 1879, he married Eliza Ann Bills. Sociologist Brett Clark describes Howard as
4425-641: The residential cottages with their wide roads and open spaces make Welwyn Garden City a refreshing picture when compared to London of the time. After 10 years of existence, Welwyn Garden City had a population of 10,000, with well-established residential, industrial and commercial zones. In 1930, the health of Welwyn Garden City inhabitants was considered greater than those living in London, as Welwyn Garden City recorded lower death rates and infant mortality rates. The increased health in Welwyn Garden City
4500-550: The start of World War I annual festivals attracted further members of the progressive elite of the time. In 1921, the educator A. S. Neill founded the school which would later, after its relocation to Lyme Regis , become Summerhill . With the establishment of the National Socialist ( Nazi ) government in Germany in 1933, the progressive community at Hellerau ended. The development lies on gently sloping ground and
4575-421: The strong hold of capitalism and lead to cooperative socialism. It proposed the creation of new suburban towns of limited size, planned in advance, and surrounded by a permanent belt of agricultural land. These Garden cities were used as the model for many suburbs. Howard believed that such Garden Cities were the perfect blend of city and nature. Howard believed that a new civilisation could be found by marrying
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#17327830105434650-509: The town and the country. The towns would be largely independent, managed by the citizens who had an economic interest in them, and financed by ground rents on the Georgist model. The land on which they were to be built was to be owned by a group of trustees and leased to the citizens. While many believe the diagrams and designs in Howard's Garden Cities of Tomorrow to be a physical plan for
4725-459: Was Charles W. Yost . The two other Greenbelt Towns are Greendale, Wisconsin (near Milwaukee ) and Greenhills, Ohio (near Cincinnati ). A fourth town, Roosevelt, New Jersey (originally called Homestead), was planned but was not fully developed on the same large scale as Greenbelt. Eleanor Roosevelt , wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt , helped Tugwell lay out the Maryland town on
4800-474: Was 3,586.6 people per square mile (1,385.3/km ). There were 10,180 housing units at an average density of 1,701.7 per square mile (657.3/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 39.7% White , 41.4% African American , 0.2% Native American , 12.1% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 3.1% from other races , and 3.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.5% of the population. There were 11,202 households, out of which 26.9% had children under
4875-474: Was 3,673.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,418.2/km ). There were 10,433 housing units at an average density of 1,661.3 per square mile (641.4/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 30.1% White , 47.8% African American , 0.3% Native American , 9.7% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 8.6% from other races , and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.3% of the population. There were 9,747 households, of which 31.0% had children under
4950-503: Was agricultural land, was purchased from 15 individual owners. The Letchworth estate lies on a train line and is only 35 miles (56 km) from London, making commuting possible. The original land on which Letchworth was built cost the First Garden City, Ltd. £160,378 and covered 3,826 acres (1,548 ha). However, more land was purchased and the property increased to 4,710 acres (1,910 ha). The Letchworth garden city
5025-727: Was born in Fore Street, City of London , the son of Ebenezer Howard (1817–1900), a baker, and Ann (née Tow, 1816–1900). He was sent to schools in Suffolk and Hertfordshire. Howard left school at 15 and began working as a stenographer in London. Howard subsequently had several clerical jobs, including one with Dr Parker of the City Temple. In 1871, at the age of 21, influenced partly by a farming uncle, Howard emigrated with two friends to America. He went to Nebraska , and after his farming efforts failed, discovered he did not wish to be
5100-550: Was conceived in 1935 by Undersecretary of Agriculture Rexford Guy Tugwell , whose perceived collectivist ideology attracted opposition to the Greenbelt Towns project throughout its short duration. The project came into legal existence on April 8, 1935, when Congress passed the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 . Under the authority granted to him by this legislation, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order , on May 1, 1935, establishing
5175-424: Was formed in 1903, based on the ideas of Howard. After Howard's book was published he worked to gain financial support to bring his ideas into reality, Howard ran lectures on Garden Cities and began the Garden City Association. The Garden City Association collected money from supporters, his supporters tended to be people who were impressed by the social justice element of the Garden City. The Letchworth estate which
5250-424: Was knighted in 1927, and with whom he is buried in Letchworth Cemetery . Howard read widely, including Edward Bellamy 's 1888 utopian novel, Looking Backward , and Henry George 's economic treatise, Progress and Poverty , and thought much about social issues. He disliked the way modern cities were being developed and thought people should live in places that should combine the best aspects of both cities and
5325-417: Was scheduled to open in fall 1976. The new Greenbelt Middle School opened on August 20, 2012. Greenbelt is served by the Greenbelt Branch of the Prince George's County Memorial Library System . According to Greenbelt's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were: Note that data was taken from only employers who made information available, and the list does not include
5400-475: Was settled on September 30, 1937, as a public cooperative community in the New Deal era. The concept was at the same time both eminently practical and idealistically utopian: the federal government would foster an "ideal" self-sufficient cooperative community that would also ease the pressing housing shortage near the nation's capital. Construction of the new town would also create jobs and thus help stimulate
5475-575: Was started after World War I . His acquaintance with German architects Hermann Muthesius and Bruno Taut resulted in the application of humane design principles in many large housing projects built in the Weimar Republic . Hermann Muthesius also played an important role in the creation of Germany's first garden city of Hellerau in 1909, the only German garden city where Howard's ideas were thoroughly adopted. The creation of Letchworth Garden City and Welwyn Garden City were influential for
5550-409: Was to sustain a population of between 30,000 and 35,000 people, and would be laid out as Howard explained in his book. There would be a central town, agricultural belt, shops, factories, residences, civic centres and open spaces, this division of land for specific purposes is now referred to as zoning and is an important practice within town planning. Howard constructed Letchworth as an example of how
5625-402: Was understood to be due to the principles of the Garden City. It could be argued that Welwyn Garden City fell short of Howard's ideals, Howard wanted investors to invest for the sake of philanthropy, but investors wanted returns and local democracy failed with an exclusive government group formed. Finally, Welwyn Garden City was marketed as a middle class commuter suburb, entirely disrespecting
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