The Stereotypes Of Living In Trailer Parks

Stereotypes are a part of life in America. Everyone is judge mental and everyone has their own opinion. It is not always a bad thing but usually some people’s judgement revolves around stereotyping things. When the thought of living in a trailer park occurs, most people tend to think it is a bad thing. They view trailer parks as trash, but what is a trailer park exactly? It is a semi-permanent or permanent place for mobile homes or travel trailers. Mobile homes became popular in the 1920s. This is when they got the name for trailer parks, because these vehicles ‘trailed’ behind the truck or van that was pulling it. After ten years’ trailers were being produced on a mass scale in factories. Over time, they started to become bigger, longer, wider

There was little to no housing available so most people turned to travel trailers. Camp grounds were starting to accept these mobile homes into their parks and thus became the now known “Trailer Parks” (Affordable Housing Institute). Since the people who were living in these mobile homes were poor because of the Great Depression, that is where the stereotypical statement “Only poor people live in trailer parks” began. As of today people still seem to think that the only people who live in trailer parks are poor, drunk, convicted felons. However, this is all a misconception. Just because someone lives in a trailer park does not mean they are poor or white trash. Of course there are trailer parks out there that are completely unclean and definitely not a place one might like to live, but there are trailer parks that are quite beautiful and homes to citizens with a fair income. Most trailer parks are upheld and kept clean and organized. Two lots that I have visited are Cedar Heights in Camanche Iowa and Sunrise Vista in Mesa Arizona. Both parka was similar and different in their own ways but neither one of them were trashy at

It is a beautiful trailer park filled with clean lots and friendly people. This park, however, has an age limit. The only people allowed to live there must be ages fifty-five and older. As one can imagine it is a quiet peaceful park without any screaming children running around. It is like to a gated community, but for mobile homes. Activities are always going on at the center club house for entertainment for the residents such as bingo, card games and karaoke. Also included is an outdoor pool, mini golf course, botchy ball, horseshoes and many more outdoor activities. Walking down the streets of Sunrise Vista you notice that all of the houses have short trimmed palm trees, little to no decorations, and no grass. Instead of dirt and grass lawns like at Cedar Heights, everyone’s “lawn” here solely rocks. A car in is the driveway of every lot and most homes seem to have a back or side porch. The reason this park looks so neat and clean is because it has strict rules. For example; residents are not allowed to grow palm trees because they shed too much, they are only allowed to excessively decorate their lawns on holidays, and also big dogs are not allowed, however they may have cats and small dogs. The atmosphere of this place is soothingly peaceful. Not only is it calm and quiet, but the people there are all so friendly. They are always inviting each other over for coffee and games and they wave and say hello