Early in 1947, hundreds of contiguous acres of Long Island, New York, were operating as potato farms. Before the end of that year, 350 new homes occupied part of the site. Four years later, Levittown was complete, with more than 17,000 homes, paved streets, schools, and shops. Bill Keene, lecturer in urban studies and architecture, explores how developers such as the Levitts and other visionaries pioneered the creation of large-scale suburbs as he delves into this transformation.