Today, New Haven, Connecticut is a bustling city that is home to Yale University and the University of New Haven. The city is also known for its location, which is about 81 miles from New York City as well as its New Haven-styled pizza. When one visits the coastal city, the cultural history is still presented, whether it is from stopping by the New Haven Museum or attending the annual St. Patrick's Day parade.

However, in the city following World War II, the area (most notably, the Four Corners, a village area in New Haven) became more industrialized as farmlands surrounding the area were transformed into inexpensive suburbs. The Four Corners area was then connected to downtown New Haven in the 1950s. Following this, the first Q Bridge and the Connecticut Turnpike were built, bringing more traffic into the city.

Another important event that happened was on January 1st, 1954 when Democratic mayor Richard.C. Lee became New Haven's 44th mayor. With him brought changes to the city. During his term from 1954 to 1969, buildings such as the Chapel Square Mall, the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and Dixwell Plaza were built. There were also the slums along Oak Street and Legion Avenue that were destroyed to make room for a Route 34 Highway that eventually never happened.

Lee also promised New Haven residents that redeveloping the city, it would give residents amenities such as public housing while boosting the economy. Lee also wanted to knock down old buildings and replace them with state-of-the-art, more expensive buildings. These plans demolished even more houses, leading to several housing crises in New Haven. During Lee's time as mayor, about 7,000 residents were displaced, and 40% of New Haven's African Americans relocated due to this.

In the city, there was also the New York, Hartford, and New Haven Train Company (shorter name is the New Haven.) This railroad company, with its headquarters in New Haven, started in 1839 and served Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and Massachusetts. For New Haven residents, the railroad company allowed travel between the city and New York (The Bronx) In the early 1950s (1952), New Haven switched from steam locomotives to diesel and electric. Although it filed for bankruptcy in 1947 and changed presidents during this year, during the 1950s, the company faced problems as flooding from hurricanes in the 1954 and 1955, eventually causing the company to go bankrupt once again in 1961.

Dreamland Theater, Grand Avenue Neighborhood, New Haven, 1950's

Map of The New Haven's routes, 1940's