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Friday, February 13, 2009

Hoovervilles making a comeback?

ok, so most of us would have no idea what Hooverville is. Most of us weren't alive, but those of us that had grandparents or parents that actually talked to us about the Great Depression know what they are (and those of you that read The Grapes of Wrath)

Over on American Prepper, there is a recent post about the new Tent Cities. I hoped over to the article cited and noticed it was out of the UK. I know you guys, and you'll want regional proof, so I did a little digging.

Here is an article out of Nashville, an article from the online journal, and something from MSNBC

So, what are we going to call them this time around?

Just thought I would put it out there for you. oh! I also heard that some small towns are allowing people to buy their food on running tabs, I can't find it in the media, currently this is purely rumor.

19 comments:

SkippyMom said...

well it wouldn't be fair to call them "Obamaville's" but I know that is where this is going...Then again is it fair to stick it on Bush? And call 'em Bushvilles?

Why not we all call 'em "Oreckvilles" and try to give the new President a chance to fix years of abuse that was allowed by previous administrations?

Get it? Oreck? Hoover? LOL [and yes, I do know what a "Hooverville" was]

Sorry it is late [early?] and I find the whole debate funny. :)

Phelan said...

Oreckville, the home of the suckers? Welcome to Oreckville, life sucks? Oh I can just see the signs now.

pumpkinhaus said...

I was just thinking about this the other day...

The Fool said...

There's an award winning book children's book called "Bud, Not Buddy" that is set in the depression and touches on the Hoovervilles of the time. We're reading it in class now - so it's not entirely lost on the upcoming generation. It's best they get acquainted with the notion since there seems to be a revival.

Carolyn Evans-Dean said...

It seems that history is destined to repeat itself. It is best that we tighten our belts and start preparing for hard times. I think we are all so much further ahead than those in denial.

It's me said...

I figure if they can keep us arguing over who's fault it is, they can continue to screw us and by the time we notice, it'll be too late.

It is NEITHER administration or party. It is POLITICIANS (almost) as a whole.

Sadly.

April Bourgois said...

Oreckville... I love it!

April Bourgois said...

same cause as the last really big one... greed.

There is a **great** historical discussion of past depressions on Backstory Radio. You can listen to it here: http://www.backstoryradio.org/

They make a very convincing, and not dull, argument that the Great Depression isn't the best analog to the current one.

ChristyACB said...

I shudder to think of them and how those who inhabit them feel. And each day I realize how very lucky I am!

Anonymous said...

I say it should be "Congressville."

Anonymous said...

Here in the Seattle area they are called "Nicklesville's" after Seattle's mayor. After my mom passed away we took a bunch of food and warm clothes to one of them when we were cleaning out the house.

The kids were with us when we dropped of the supplies and on the way home we had to answer a lot of questions about why these people didn't have homes and how come nobody was making sure they did. It was a long ride home that day.

Celeste said...

I did a bit of reading about the Great Depression recently. Sadly, what is happening now seem to parallel what happened then. Hopefully there WILL not be a World War following it like there did the last time.

Woolysheep said...

I saw a post about tent cities somewhere else in the last couple of months. I think it was here...http://thehomelessguy.blogspot.com/ but I am not sure.

My choice of name would have to be simply living in the Bush or perhaps the Villas of Crawford Ranch. That last one is a little long winded though.

Irma said...

I know I'm a nerd, but I believe these temporary settlements should still be called "Hoovervilles"... (doesn't hurt that The Grapes of Wrath is my favourite book of all time, I'm sure.) But maybe by calling them Hoovervilles and referencing the Great Depression, it will make people think about how bad it really is.

Cygnus MacLlyr said...

I vote for Obamanations.

And for me it was The Grapes Of Wrath. Only reason I now understand the classic country song "The Company Store", too, that book.

And I hate Steinbeck!

Goes to show...

Melissa ~ Mom to 6 said...

Well good news for ME. The wiki definition says that the tents and shacks were jerry-built... which means my man will have something to do in his spare time. Sorry, I'm sure my dark humor is lost in the internet.

It's me said...

Melissa, I was going to agree, but when I searched for the term, here's what I found:

According to WordOrigins.org:

Jury rig, while similar sounding, has a slightly different meaning, emphasizing the temporary nature of the solution and can imply an ingenious solution done with materials at hand. Jerry-built, on the other hand, is often used for a permanent, but poorly built, construction and has no positive connotation.

I did not know that. My main-squeeze will be disappointed as well :)

Melissa ~ Mom to 6 said...

My Jerry has put up with good natured teasing over the years about his "jerry built" things. Let's just say that his old Chevy Blazer was held together with duct tape, zip ties and rust. He is wonderful at many things but building is a skill we are both still learning.

Wendy said...

I've been reading a lot of literature about the 1930s and what really disturbed me most was not that people lived in those conditions, but the way they were treated. In one story (albeit a fictionalized one), the family was even attempting to grow a garden, which was stomped when "authorties" raided the camp. Very sad.

I think the best solution is what the guy in California has done, and that is, develop a better tent. He calls them "EDAR"s. Then, there's the other guy who is taking old railroad cars and turning them into "little" houses. I don't think we can eradicate homelessness, but we could make it a little less harsh.

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