Untitled (exterior of Cape Cod style house with yard under construction) c. 1950

Robert Burian made this black and white photograph of a Cape Cod style house, its yard under construction. The image speaks to the rapid expansion of suburban development, particularly in New England in the mid-20th century. Cape Cod style houses, known for their simple, functional design, became ubiquitous as affordable housing options, reflecting the post-war American dream of homeownership and upward mobility. This image, with its focus on a house still under construction, hints at the constant reshaping of the American landscape to accommodate this dream. The placement of an advertisement sign, with the number 1353 on it, in the yard, underscores the role of real estate development in driving this transformation. Understanding the photograph fully means diving into planning documents, census data, and local histories. This helps us to reveal the cultural and economic forces that shaped the rapid growth of the suburbs and the social meanings attached to them.