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Story: Men and women in the city

Suburban sprawl

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Suburban sprawl

In the early 20th century many people saw rural life as invigorating and city life as emasculating. An acceptable compromise between the two was suburban life. It combined the best of country and town: a single-unit dwelling on a spacious section, close to the social and cultural amenities of town. This is the sprawling suburb of Mt Eden, Auckland, in the 1910s or 1920s.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: PAColl-7081-35

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Caroline Daley, Men and women in the city – Suburban men, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/24593/suburban-sprawl (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Caroline Daley, published 17 December 2009.