No two Hoovervilles were quite alike, and the camps varied in population and size. Whenever possible, Hoovervilles were built near rivers for the convenience of a water source. Some Hoovervilles were dotted with vegetable gardens, and some individual shacks contained furniture a family had managed to carry away upon eviction from their former home. Hoovervilles were typically grim and unsanitary. They posed health risks to their inhabitants as well as to those living nearby, but there was little that local governments or health agencies could do.
