Overview

In the 1920s, newspapers and real estate developers colluded in a scheme to sell tiny vacation lots to subscribers. A zealous advertising campaign spawned a land-buying frenzy that sprouted dozens of waterfront summer colonies across the country. The resulting legal, social and environmental mayhem caused some of these communities to disappear or be drastically altered in character, while others managed to survive more or less intact. Drawing on newspaper accounts of the day, this book explores how the scheme eluded accusations of fraud, creating an assembly line for middle class resorts through a lucrative merger of real estate and journalism. Pell Lake, Wisconsin, serves as a case study that yields the best evidence for determining if it was all a scam. Told here for the first time, the story of this unusual alliance and the communities it created offers lessons for today's entrepreneurs, journalists, advertisers, real estate developers, environmentalists and anyone who has ever lived in a resort community.

Full Product Details

Author:   Margaret B. Barker
Publisher:   McFarland & Co Inc
Imprint:   McFarland & Co Inc
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.30cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.336kg
ISBN:  

9781476681818

ISBN 10:   1476681813
Pages:   245
Publication Date:   02 February 2021
Recommended Age:   From 18 years
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Temporarily unavailable  
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Table of Contents

Table of Contents Preface Introduction 1. The Lake, the Farmer and the Dentist 2. Creating a Newspaper Colony 3. The Genesis of the Scheme 4. Closing In on the Deal 5. The Early Colonies and the Promotional Articles 6. The Later Colonies and the Display Ads 7. The Economic Aftermath 8. Hybrids and Clones 9. William Randolph Hearst 10. Environmental Factors 11. Legal Aspects 12. Racial Issues 13. Social Considerations 14. Pell Lake in Context and Comparison Conclusion Appendix: Resort Locator Chapter Notes Bibliography Index

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Author Information

Margaret B. Barker is a retired attorney living in Madison, Wisconsin. She has written for legal publications and, with a strong interest in family history, has had several articles published in genealogical journals.

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