ABSTRACT
Often viewed as the calm before the storm, the 1950s set in motion trends as revolutionary for cities as any decade before or since. Physically, mentally, culturally, aspirationally, competitively, American urban life in 1960 was vastly different from what it was in 1950. Although the gradual pace of change masked its profound implications, and although each individual component could be viewed as benign, the sum of the differences set the stage for a redefining of cities that would last until nearly the end of the 20th century.
