How women saved the city
By: Daphne Spain.
Publisher: University of Minnesota Press
Published: 2001
Place of publication: Minneapolis
Language: eng
Number of pages: 311
Subjects: Young Women's Christian Association of the U.S.A. -- History; National Association of Colored Women (U.S.) -- History; Salvation Army of America -- History; Women social reformers -- United States -- History; Women in public life -- United States -- History; Women -- United States -- Societies, etc; Social settlements -- United States -- History
Description: "In the days between the Civil War and World War I, women rarely worked outside the home, rarely went to college, and , if our histories are to be believed, rarely put their mark on the urban spaces unfolding around them. And yet, as this book clearly demonstrates, women did play a key role in shaping the American urban landscape.".

"To uncover the contribution of women to urban development at the turn of the nineteenth century, Daphne Spain looks at the places where women participated most actively in public life - voluntary organizations like the young Women's Christian Association, the Salvation Army, the College Settlements Association, and the National Association of Colored Women.

In the extensive building projects of these associations - boarding houses, vocational schools, settlement houses, public baths, and playgrounds - she finds evidence of a built environment created by women.".

"Exploring this environment, Spain reconstructs the story of the "redemptive places" that addressed the real needs of city dwellers - especially single women, African Americans, immigrants, and the poor - and established an environment in which newcomers could learn to become urban Americans."--BOOK JACKET.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 275-293) and index.
Table of contents: title: Voluntary vernacular; title: Why cities needed saving; title: Sacred and secular organizational ideologies; title: Voluntary associations with an urban presence; title: New york City headquarters, smaller city branches; title: Boston, the cradle of redemptive places; title: Men build Chicago's skyline, women redeem the city; title: How women saved the city; title: Appendix A : literature review; title: Appendix B : organizational charters; title: Appendix C : addresses of redemptive places for Boston, Chicago, and New York City.