Camp Thomas Paine was what you'd call a "Hooverville," a shantytown set up during the Great Depression. Its name, as you might suspect, was aimed as a criticism of President Herbert Hoover, who offered little aid to struggling Americans after the Crash of 1929. This camp was one of many throughout New York City that were built on parkland or abandoned construction sites. Others included "Hoover Valley" on what today is Central Park's Great Lawn, "Packing Box City" on Houston, "Hardlucktown" in the East Village, and "Tin City" in Red Hook. While most settlements only allowed male residents, Camp Thomas Paine differed in only allowing World War I veterans to board.