History of Firsts

Question 1

1903
Studied public land policy and laws for open range/federal lands.
Made several recommendations for the use of public lands for grazing and timber purposes, conflicting with livestock, mining, and lumber interests.
Led by Gifford Pinchot.

Answer 1

Public Lands Commission (1903)

Question 2

1909
Hosted in Washington DC.
Organized by Benjamin Marsh.
Led to the creation of the American City Planning Institute in 1917.

Answer 2

First National City Planning Conference

Question 3

Harland Bartholomew became first full-time city planner in the United States,
Hired in Newark, NJ

Answer 3

First Municipally Employed Planner

Question 4

1907
Hartford, CT
Planning commissions make recommendations about the planning and zoning of a city/town to the local council.

Answer 4

First Official City Planning Commission

Question 5

1909
Harvard introduced “The Principles of City Planning” via Landscape Architecture department.
Harvard was also first to launch city/regional planning in 1923 and urban design in 1960.

Answer 5

First Course in City Planning

Question 6

1925
Cincinnati, OH
Created by Alfred Bettman, Ladislas Segoe, George Ford, and Ernest Goodrich.
Included factors like schools, play yards, garbage/refuse disposal, financing improvements, and other municipal issues.

Answer 6

First Comprehensive Plan

Question 7

1931
Charleston, SC
Charleston Historic District covers most of Downtown and is a National Historic Landmark.

Answer 7

First Historic District Ordinance

Question 8

1934
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.
Focused on the need to plan for new agricultural and industrial development in response to federal investment in power, reclamation, and navigation projects.
Can handle planning-related issues across multi-state regions.

Answer 8

First Multistate Regional Planning Commission

Question 9

1952
Samuel Cullers from MIT.

Answer 9

First African American to Earn Planning Master’s Degree

Question 10

1958
Lexington, KY
Limited new development to a specific area in the city.
Intended to prevent urban sprawl into agricultural and rural land.

Answer 10

First Urban Growth Boundary

Question 11

October 1970
Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission in Dayton, OH
Established common housing goals for local governments and included a detailed housing policy.

Answer 11

First “Fair Share” Housing Plan

Question 12

May 1978
Hawaii State Planning Act created statewide planning system to include policy, planning, implementation and monitoring.

Answer 12

First State with Statewide Zoning

Question 13

1981
Seaside, FL
Focused on walkable neighborhoods, sustainability, traditional neighborhood design, TOD.
Designed by Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk.

Answer 13

First New Urbanist Town

Question 14

1925
New York State Housing and Regional Planning Commission.
Chaired by Clarence Stein.
Provided transportation corridors and settlement areas, as well as on preserving rural land.
Promotes effective planning for factors that affect more than one community like environmental protection and growth.

Answer 14

First State-Level Land Use Plan

Question 15

1906
San Francisco, CA
Developed by Daniel Burnham.

Answer 15

First City to use City Beautiful Principles

Question 16

1867
San Francisco, CA

Answer 16

First City to use Zoning Restrictions on Location of Noxious Uses

Question 17

1903
Cleveland, OH
Designed by Daniel Burnham.

Answer 17

First Local Civic Center Plan

Question 18

1909
Chicago, IL
Created by Daniel Burnham.

Answer 18

First Metropolitan Regional Plan

Question 19

1909
Wisconsin

Answer 19

First State to Pass Enabling Legislation

Question 20

1909
Los Angeles, CA

Answer 20

First City to use Land Use Zoning for development

Question 21

1916
New York, NY

Answer 21

First Comprehensive Zoning Code

Question 22

1916
Los Angeles County, CA

Answer 22

First Regional Planning Commision