Fircrest was ready and waiting when America exploded into the modern era following World War II. In 1906, the creative energy of Edward "Major" Bowes, of Amateur Hour fame, combined with the engineering brilliance of Mat R. Thompson to create the quintessential American suburb. Anticipating America's love affair with the automobile, they designed a modern "suburban park" with wide streets that curved with the contours of the land. Brisk initial sales...