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To many people living in Boston during its industrial boom years, the dynamism and growth of the modern city seemed constantly at risk of spiraling out of control. Urban development led to issues ranging from catastrophic fires to tangled streetcar traffic. Waves of epidemics, the dismal quality of rivers and coastlines, and the destruction of natural spaces on the city’s edges gave rise to new concerns about environmental protection. Working-class struggles, often centered in the poorest communities, testified to the abysmal economic and housing conditions faced by many of the city’s residents. Many efforts to address these issues involved interventions in the city’s spaces, like housing codes, park plans, the development of public infrastructure, and land use controls. Attempts to harmonize the tensions between city and countryside took many forms, from exclusive early suburbs to idealistic visions of garden dwellings for laborers and immigrants.
