Introduction

This book tells how a group of immigrants from Finland founded the fi rstco-ops in our nation focusing on one in a group of associations that areorganized around Sunset Park, a New York City public park with an outlookover the harbor that is located on the highest hill of this neighborhood fromthe perspective of a Swedish-American fi rst generation person accepted bythe Finns.

Inside Look

This is an inside look into how one co-op has functioned adaptingwith the growth of Brooklyn and New York City. While it is tempting towant to examine each of the co-ops and compare how they are similarand differ from one another, it is more important to focus on how theycooperated with each other to remain independent and are able to adaptto changes.

Organization and Chapters

This book is organized into chapters that focus on differentaspects of co-op living and includes a Patriotic Tour at the end to helpthe reader understand why it is important to be all-inclusive when writinghistory and important also to put new residents in the very spots wherehistory happened, even if the original spot has been changed over time.