From Improvement to City Planning: Spatial Management in Cincinnati from the Early Republic through the Civil War Decade

The book emphasizes how efforts to improve urban space were entwined with the evolution of urban governance and influenced by a small group of advantaged families. It also shows that movements for public parks and large-scale sanitary engineering in the 1840s and 50s initiated modern city planning, but there were limitations and consequences to these efforts.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 373 pages
Publication date: 10 September 2021
Publisher: Temple University Press,U.S.

Historian Henry Binford explores the intricate relationship between efforts to improve urban spaces and the evolution of urban governance in nineteenth-century America. He delves into the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, which at the time was the largest and most significant interior city west of the Appalachian Mountains. Binford reveals that the drive for urban improvement was not solely driven by industrialization but also by a range of beliefs, including morality, race, health, poverty, and the notion of "slum" environments.

In the 1840s and 50s, movements for public parks and large-scale sanitary engineering emerged as the initial steps toward modern city planning. These initiatives aimed to address the pressing needs of urban populations and improve their living conditions. However, these efforts also had their limitations and consequences.

One of the significant outcomes of these movements was the belief that remaking city environments could also remake citizens. City dwellers began to see themselves as active participants in shaping their urban surroundings, rather than passive recipients of government policies. This shift in mindset led to a greater sense of civic engagement and a willingness to work together to address urban problems.

At the same time, the efforts to improve urban spaces also brought about challenges and controversies. For example, the construction of public parks and sanitary engineering projects often displaced existing communities and marginalized certain groups of people. The prioritization of certain neighborhoods over others also led to social and economic inequalities.

Despite these challenges, the movements for public parks and large-scale sanitary engineering laid the foundation for modern city planning. They sparked a broader conversation about the role of government in shaping urban spaces and the importance of considering the needs and experiences of all city dwellers. Today, these movements continue to inspire and inform urban planning practices around the world.

In conclusion, From Improvement to City Planning provides a valuable insight into the complex relationship between urban growth, governance, and the experiences of city dwellers in nineteenth-century America. By examining the case of Cincinnati, Ohio, Binford highlights the ways in which efforts to improve urban spaces were intertwined with the evolution of urban governance and influenced by a small group of advantaged families. The book also emphasizes the belief that remaking city environments could remake citizens and the challenges and controversies that emerged as a result of these efforts. Through its exploration of this period, From Improvement to City Planning offers a rich understanding of the origins of modern city planning and its ongoing significance in shaping the cities of the present and future.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781439920855