Hat & Hatbox from Williams Brothers Department store, Lockport, NY

This kit explores the history of Lockport, NY between 1954 and 1974 when almost every major city in the United States was impacted by federal policies aimed at revitalization and modernization as part of a national movement called Urban Renewal. In Lockport, the Urban Renewal movement had significant impacts on the city. The plan to redevelop areas by razing old buildings and constructing new ones, led to the loss of historic architecture and displacement of the residents, and left a legacy of vacant and underdeveloped land. At the conclusion of this kit, you should be able to answer these questions: 1. How did national events and societal shifts influence the Urban Renewal Movement in the US? 2. How did citizens react and challenge proposals for Urban Renewal? 3. What were the costs and benefits of Urban Renewal, both in dollars and in the people that were displaced?