From House to Neighborhood History

As the house histories begin to come in they allow us to begin comparing the information that we have been finding. What can we now begin to say or question about the larger neighborhood?

Do the house histories allow us to begin establishing a chronology of the neighborhood? 

1.      When was the neighborhood established?

2.      What happened during the depression? Other early dates with impact?

3.      When did people start to rent out single family apartments?

4.      When were the houses broken into apartments?

5.      Who are the landlords? What stake did they have in the neighborhood?

6.      When did the apartments start to be owned by companies?

7.      When did the wealthy people start to leave the neighborhood?

8.      How did people’s jobs change over time? Where do they work?

9.      When did Latinos start coming to the neighborhood?

10.  What is the ethnic composition of the neighborhood?  Change over time?

11.  Why do houses deteriorate? What are the factors that lead to that?

12.  What is the history of homelessness in the neighborhood?

13.  What is the history of crime and violence in the neighborhood?

14.  What businesses, churches, libraries, other public spaces are in the neighborhood? Change over time?

15.  Are there any famous people in the neighborhood? Who?Famous buildings - Carnegie Library

16.  Why should anyone care about this history of this neighborhood? Who is it interesting to? Are there larger histories that it intersects with?

17.  Have any of the houses been restored? By whom?

18.  Is there anyone who has a long history in the neighborhood that could be interviewed? Who are those people? How would we find out? What would we ask them?

19.  Are there any stereotypes of this neighborhood in Goshen? In the schools?

20.  Are there any new trends in the neighborhood? Signs of gentrification? Work of LaCasa?