Using the urbanized area that spreads across northern New Jersey and around New York City as a case study, this book presents a convincing explanation of metropolitan fragmentation—the process by which suburban communities remain as is or break off and form separate political entities. The process has important and deleterious consequences for a range of urban issues, including the weakening of public finance and school integration. The explanation centers on the independent effect of urban infrastructure, specifically sewers, roads, waterworks, gas, and electricity networks. The book argues that the development of such infrastructure in the late nineteenth century not only permitted cities to expand by annexing adjacent municipalities, but also further enhanced the ability of these suburban entities to remain or break away and form independent municipalities. The process was crucial in creating a proliferation of municipalities within metropolitan regions. The book thus shows that the roots of the urban crisis can be found in the interplay between technology, politics, and public works in the American city.

Excerpt from The Founders and Builders of the Oranges: Comprising a History of the Outlying District of Newark, Subsequently Known as Orange, and of the Later Internal Divisions, Viz;; South Orange, West Orange, and East Orange Although three histories of this locality have been published during the past thirty odd years, careful research and thorough investigation have brought to light many new and interesting facts. And for the first time a complete history of all the Oranges. Including the history of the several churches, schools, societies, etc., is presented to the public. This covers a period of two hundred and thirty years - 1666 to I896 - and shows a growth almost unprecedented in the history of any similar locality. The past and present are presented in the strongest light; the old land marks of the Founders and the beautiful homes of the Builders are illustrated in the highest style of modern art, while the personal history of both Founders and Builders, together with a large amount of interesting genealogical data has been collected at great expense and severe labor. Nearly three years of incessant toil, day and night, has been spent in this undertaking, and the author has endeavored to place himself in communication with every man and woman in the Oranges who could in any way contribute to the interest of the work by furnishing personal or other data. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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