How a planned suburban community fought to reclaim its name and redefine its future

Science · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Willingboro, New Jersey, was transformed in the 1950s into a massive Levittown development. Residents later voted to shed the corporate name, sparking a bitter feud with the developer. Beyond the name change, the town became a landmark in the struggle for fair housing and the fight against discriminatory real estate practices.

Originally settled by English Quakers in the 17th century, Willingboro was formally incorporated as a township in 1798. Its modern identity was forged in the 1950s when Levitt & Sons purchased vast tracts of land to build their third and largest Levittown. The development was so extensive that the historic community of Rancocas was annexed to a neighboring municipality to avoid being bulldozed, ensuring the project remained within a single jurisdiction.

The community’s relationship with its developer soured quickly. In 1959, residents voted to rename the town Levittown, but by 1963, they reversed the decision in a narrow referendum. Levitt retaliated by refusing to donate further schools to the growing population. This era also marked a pivotal legal battle: W. R. James, an African American Army officer, successfully challenged the developer’s policy of excluding Black buyers. His victory, upheld by the New Jersey Supreme Court, opened the doors for integration, with the Williams family becoming the first Black residents to move in during 1960.

As the township’s demographics shifted, it faced the predatory practice of blockbusting, where agents pressured homeowners to sell by stoking fears of declining property values. In response, Willingboro enacted an ordinance in 1974 banning 'for sale' signs to stabilize the community. This effort reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 1977, which ruled that the ban violated First Amendment free speech protections. Today, the town remains defined by its unique layout—where street names in each section begin with the same letter—and its legacy as a site of significant social and legal change in American suburban history.

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