Status quo in the 1950s and '60s was not a myth. Whether or not the Nifty Fifty existed, the desire to remain quaint was without question the order of the day. Talented young people graduated from high school and moved away in droves because this city chose to stand still. Jobs move away. New home construction dies.
Commercial development becomes nonexistent.
Real estate values decline. Retail shops escape to greener pastures. Teachers look elsewhere for better-paying jobs. Educational quality declines. Streets are neglected and potholes run wild.