The cover house is the Sears Lewiston.Rachel Shoemaker Collection . GUIDE TO KIT HOUSES AND HOMES Oddly, there is no sales blurb included in the Sears Modern Homes catalog for this one. The group has identified 2,700 Sears homes in Ohio and 2,300 in Illinois. One satisfied Sears homeowner, Edith Sides of Dallas, lived in a home that was built in 1911 and sold to her stepfather in 1917. by Matthew Mackowiak. That "Bungalow" stencil or stamping appears to be on the wall or roof cavity side of wood sheathing - and may indeed indicate that the home was built from a kit. (See below for clarification on that concept. They were shipped by rail, with pre-cut lumber stamped for assembly. Presented at the Hudson Valley American Society of Home Inspectors HVASHI Annual Historic Homes Inspection-Seminar, Kingston, NY - In Detroit, The Ford Model T, the first car built using Henry Fords revolutionary assembly line, sputtered into life and changed the world. They are classic. homes were sold and built before that year, but it is certainly the case that the sale of some models continued to 1940. Fiberboard could be used as a plaster base or painted, or simply left in its tan-brown color. I would love an opinion. Sears "Lynnhaven" in York County, Virginia 2 /22 This exceptionally well-preserved Lynnhaven in York County, Virginia, retains that model's interior layout, which includes a kitchen, breakfast. 3. Beds/Baths: 2 bedrooms and 1 full bath. And which kit? by InspectApedia (mod). On 2021-09-09 Number 26. the dwindling "do it yourself" home market. 920 North Madison Avenue, Anderson, Indiana Asking: $379,900 Gunnison pre-fab kit homes. If My House Is Not A Kit, Where Did It Come From? Sears, Roebuck and Co. sold about 100,000 kit houses from catalogs between 1908 and 1942. The Anderson, Indiana house is a custom design as are quite a few Sears houses in Anderson, some of which were featured in the Modern Homes catalog in the early 1930s. The original 1926 Sears & Roebuck label identifying the house at 115 Belleclaire Avenue in Longmeadow as a Sears kit house. Let us know in the comments! The oiled wood mouldings and built-ins look like they were designed yesterday and probably look even nicer in person. detail which is still in place on a Sears house was unique to those homes and can help in their identification today, even though For some of these items, there were options (type of wiring, heating, plumbing fixtures, for example, or upgrades for flooring and trim wood), and any masonry items were purchased through Sears, but obtained through a local supplier, rather than being shipped by Sears. Ohio and Illinois are still leading, though, with 2700+ and 2300+, respectively. These along with some houses I photographed On 2021-08-18 Sears kit homes were shipped via boxcar and came with a 75-page instruction book. Of course, the home has been heavily modified from what we think its roots were as an Elmhurst model Sears catalog home, but that just adds to the charm, not to mention the square footage. On 2022-01-17 The Aladdin Company, Bay City, Michigan. While Sears no longer has records of where each of the nearly 75,000. We also edit Sears Kit House identification checklists and comment and books on Sears Homes by Rosemary Thornton. Customers were given everything needed for basic assemblyincluding the nailsdelivered by rail, and most folks with adequate carpentry expertise could put up their new house in just a few days. BOOKS ON SEARS AND OTHER KIT OR CATALOG HOUSES. 239 W. Russell Street, Barrington, $949,000. Are you able to tell me the model name is of the kit? They also sold an economy grade wallboard made of cardboard and asphalt, which sold for 42 cents per sheet. The homes were sold through the Sears Roebuck catalog from 1908 to 1940. One of the best known Sears house locations is in Carlinville, Illinois, where Standard Oil of Indiana built a million-dollar development of 192 Honor Bilt houses for employees of Schoper coal mine (156 intended for miners and other workers, an additional 28 nearby and somewhat more deluxe meant for supervisors). Realtors love to include Sears in their listing of old houses but many of those are incorrectly identified including the others that are on your list. Located in Cairo Illinois, the largest of these mills covered nearly 40 acres, and the sheer variety of homes it shipped out was staggering. I should have known. They reportedly sold around 70,000 houses, and an estimated 70 percent of them are still standing. It has always been used as a seasonal summer cottage and is uninsulated. Measuring in at a roomy 3,500 square feet, the four-bedroom home is ready for its new owner to take it into its next century. Well, what did you think of our picks of the best Sears Catalog Homes on the market? More than 370 different home designs in a wide range of . Researching Historic Kit and Plan Book Homes, 2) Unless you can recognize the many models offered in the Sears Modern Homes catalogs, houses built from kits are indistinguishable from those built through the standard process using a construction company. But the observation of stencil marks on some framing visible in the interior of the home and research by the owners turned up the original plans for this Aladdin home. Small Prefab Homes: 'The Best-Kept Secret in America'? The updated five-bedroom home is zoned for residential and commercial use, which makes it a great opportunity for a bed-and-breakfast or live-work space. We have encountered such a home in northern Dutchess County in New York State, one which looks just like a Sears model but The best procedure would be to go through the Sears Kit House identification steps and details given above on this page. Located in the desirable Converse Heights neighborhood, the home greets visitors with a large front porch. 1 story, 2 br, chimney In middle. When most people think of Sears catalog homes, they imagine Cape Cods or Craftsman style bungalows with columned porches. When people say. The list, below, gives you model names and addresses of 80 houses that we have located in the St. Louis area. Notes: this product was sold by Sears beginning in 1916. Our national database of Sears houses in the U.S. has over 13,600 homes on it, and, after Ohio and Illinois, Pennsylvania is #3 in U.S. states with, at today's count, 1,963 Sears homes found. The Aladdin Company, Bay City, Michigan. What almost no one thinks of is Don Corleones house from the first Godfather movie. For more information on who we are, and what we do, visit our website: This question was recently posed in a FaceBook group that focuses on St. Louis history. a blog post about the Sears houses in Kirkwood, A few catalog covers (1918 through the 1920s) for. Sears Modern Homes, Sears Roebuck, Sears Kit Homes, Sears Catalog, Home Plans, Vintage Homes, Bungalow Plans, Sears Honor Bilt, . a company which sold it as a kit house in the early 1940's. It was a Sears, Roebuck and Co. kit home, the Martha Washington, advertised in. Long before Amazon Prime, shoppers across America turned to the Sears catalog to purchase all kinds of consumer goodsnot just products for the home, but also the homes themselves. it's a house whose blueprints and building supplies were ordered from a specialty Sears catalog, and all of these supplies were shipped, by rail (primarily), to the homeowner (who either chose to build the house himself, or use a contractor to arrange the construction). I hope Sears has the common sense to donate those materials rather than throw them away.Thanks for this! Once again, Sears has made history. Our client traced the sale and construction of the home to The company promised a man of average abilities that he could finish the house within 90 days if he followed the 75-page instruction . I would love to get more information about the Sears Roebuck Home I have recently purchased in Fresno, CA. Can you tell me if I am right ? the trains didn't stop at the homeowner's lot, and let them unload, there, just because their lot happened to have rail lines near it, or behind it. And, like all of the companies, Sears offered homes of many sizes and styles. Take a look at the kit house identification clues discussed above on this page and in this article series. We do not accept money, services, or products in exchange for positive reviews or product placement. In Chicago, Richard Sears had an equally disruptive idea. As an amateur historian and NOCO Realtor, this list will be most helpful. ), This is a fantastic post! Here are two examples of plans-only books, available through lumber yards and construction companies: Nonetheless, We're Always Looking For More Sears Modern Homes Kit Houses! The Homart kits that Sears sold, were available from about 1946-1952 (depending on your source). In 1915 Sears kit homes included fiberboard panels used for ceilings and walls. It helps to narrow that search through Sears home catalogs if you can find the year that your home was constructed. Sears homes came in all shapes and sizes, and this Colonial hits a sweet spot with four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms spanning nearly 4,000 . The elegant archways and what looks like the coziest home office south of the Mason Dixon gave us an excuse to linger and wonder if running the site from Lexington, Kentucky would make sense, Asking: $1,150,000 Sears Modern Homes Model: Oakdale Year Built: 1923 Listing Agent: John McElveen Listing Brokerage: RE/MAX of Boulder. I havent found any other obvious stamps. Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland 12 Shocking Real Estate Facts: FREE Social Media Posts [Download]. Rather than trying to include all the information from the above article, the best procedure would be to go through the Sears Kit House identification steps and details given above on this page. North Avenue, in Pleasant Valley, NY, a "gothic cottage" Crescent model built in 1932 for $1761. Description. In 1908, when Sears began selling homes by mail, one-fifth of the country subscribed, according to a 99 Percent Invisible podcast about the program. Easily identified by its hanging bay window on the side (which extends up to the roof line) and its distinctive Castleton dormer with 3 windows. The answer to this question can be found on this Sears House Seeker blog post. Considering Sears, Roebuck & Co. was founded in Chicago back in 1893, it's no surprise Illinois boasts many of the company's ready-to-assemble kit homes (second only to Ohio). Sears kit homes were popular in the earlier part of the 20th century. On 2021-05-27 That year, the Aladdin Company of Bay City, Michigan, offered the first kit homes through mail order. I have been pouring over house plans and scouring the internet looking at catalogues and am coming up short. If you can find other details such as finding specific stamps, lumber marks, or hardware in your particular house that confirm it as a particular company's kit home and also paging through the kit home catalogs we list to match that roof design and entry porch, for example. https://inspectapedia.com/Design/Aladdin-Kit-Homes-Catalog-1941.pdf. 1. by Adrian McCullough. Another uber charming craftsmen with a tasteful renovation and original details, 1315 9th Street had us lingering on our open Zillow tabs for a few more minutes than a team under deadline should. Thornton also suggests that inspectors check for identifying marks at plumbing access panels where you may find marks on wall studs in the bath wall cavity. The rest are not Sears houses although that house identified as a Glen Falls is close but not a match. So it's probably true that most of these A nationally recognized founder, branding expert, and industry thought leader, Emile cut his teeth in real estate in 2007 crafting marketing strategies for the Chrysler and MetLife Buildings. Any idea where I might find plans from before 1908? Also lovingly renovated with lots of lovely original details like picture frame mouldings and french doors, 5953 Jefferson in Burlington, Kentucky looks like the perfect place to while away a summer afternoon with a mint julep and a great book. In the early 1900s, the address for Sears' Chicago headquarters was 975 Homan Ave., Chicago, Illinois, and should be on the shipping label. Any help is appreciated! Sears kit homes contained 30,000 pieces, including 750 pounds of nails, 27 gallons of paint, and a 75-page instruction book. I always thought it was a Sears kit house, but the work Keystone sits in my memory, as well. What year and style home? Whether their customers needed a simple cottage without a bathroom (an outhouse could be purchased separately), or wanted to submit their own multistory blueprints to Sears, there was a Modern Home for every location and budget. The Keystone name has come up before in searching for kit house history and plans, but searching is confounded by current companies using that name. I once owned a home in Houston Tx, which according to records was built in 1906 (Although the date could be a few years off either way) I am having difficulty confirming if this was a Sear kit home or a copy cat mfgr. The Sears Modern Homes catalog from 1930. The article above gives both lists of Sears kit home identification points or details and also lists of plan books and catalogs that one can leaf through. Because the homes were so easy to tailor to their owners tastes, true Sears Modern Homes can be tricky to identify today. Thank you. ], Sears began offering Goodwall sheet plaster as a replacement for the more labor-intensive wood lath plaster systems used in older homes. You can read more about them here, here, here, and here. Many original featuresincluding built-in cabinets and hardwood floorshave been maintained and add heaps of character to the four-bedroom home. I'll be interested if you find any indication of just how widely plaster-lath construction was used in kit homes; our rock-lath article cited above gives some history, though not specific to kit homes; we need authoritative sources on the extent to which rock-lath or sheet-plaster systems were in wide use in North America before the 1940s. 7 Tips for Building Your Sphere of Influence in Real Estate (+ Script), 31 Clever Real Estate Marketing Ideas for 2023, 33 Underrated Real Estate Lead Generation Ideas for 2023, Real Geeks Review: An In-depth Look at Features & Pricing, Want More Leads? While I have expanded, edited, and illustrated this list based on our own field experience, and we have added photographs and other details, this material has its origin in Thornton's books Geoffrey's Toy Box - toys, video games, videos (Revival of Toys R Us) Harvey Norman - furniture, housewares, electronics; Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Ireland, United Kingdom (Northern Ireland), Slovenia and Croatia. Kit homes used drywall, asphalt shingles, and "balloon" style. Continue to look for the kit house identification clues discussed above on this page and in this article series. I'm omitting the famous Wilton gingerbread house and Wilton gingerbread house kits sold by Sears as that's a food product not an actual house. sears osborn, sears wilmore, sears jewel, sears jewell, sears hillsboro, sears houses in Pennsylvania, Sears houses in Pittsburgh, national database of sears houses, sears houses in the u.s., sears house seeker, 5242 towers terrace, 1213 fairmont avenue, 118 poplar street, sears modern homes, sears home construction division, sears house catalogs, antiquehome.org, kit houses, mail order houses . 69 reviews of The Home Depot "4 stars for home depot. "It's the most perfect Sears Magnolia . 61 proven lead gen ideas from coaches & top-producing agents to help you close more deals. Between 1908 and 1940, more than 70,000 of these Sears Kit Homes were built across America. at $500. The renovation expanded the homes footprint to four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and more than 2,000 square feet. You will see that a stencil marking on lumber or sheathing or even specific bits of hardware can identify the home even if its general layout and plan are similar to those produced by more than one manufacturer. We did not examine the mechanicals closely in this house, as they were not provided by Sears and Roebuck and were obtained locally. These type of details in addition to what we've noted in our earlier response may help with identification. We did not photograph the kitchen and bath as they had been remodeled leaving no obvious original materials. Measuring in at a roomy 3,500 square feet, the four-bedroom. Look for additional clues besides lumber stamping, such as hardware, windows, etc. Sears Catalog Homes (sold under the Sears Modern Homes name) were catalog and kit houses sold primarily through mail order by Sears, Roebuck, and Company, an American retailer. Have you gotten your home sold yet? Learn all about these mail-ordered, catalog homes as we explore their unique history i. Sears Modern Homes were catalog and kit houses sold primarily through mail order by Sears, Roebuck and Co., an American retailer.. From 1908 to 1942, Sears sold more than 70,000 of these houses in North America, by the company's count. Thornton also cites an "R" either in the cast-iron base of some sinks (kitchen?) - source: https://searshomes.org/index.php/2014/02/14/its-a-mystery/. This home is in Dansville, NY and was built in 1930. Real Estate. The materials were reportedly shipped in via railroad as a package. For the first time, Sears has opened the doors to its vast archival collection and invited the public to peek inside. catalog homes in Dutchess County, NY. They put out a catalog offering dozens of styles of homes you could have delivered right to your future doorstep.. And, boy, did that post get some answers 743 comments, last I saw (of course, probably 50 or more of those, are my comments, trying to clarify and correct some of the answers that were, So, I thought maybe it's time to do a definitive blog post about where, in fact, the, Sears Modern Homes kits were sold from 1908 through about 1942, There were other major kit-house companies, (only a "possible"very likely NOT Sears, but a "lookalike"--possibly an Aladdin), The Back Story Of Kit Houses vs Non-Kit Houses. On 2022-02-01 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator. Robinson Company, Providence, Rhode Island. Hipercor - hypermarkets; Spain. The first complete Sears Kit homes, that is, residences, were marketed Any ideas? Homes has been a family owned & operated home center. Sears estimated that the average carpenter would charge $450 to . The house was shipped by Gordon Van Tine Co. of Davenport IA, and delivered by railroad box car to the New Hamburg freight yard. the identification of Sears Catalog or Kit homes and including references to other expert books and resources on NTL Stacks TH4819.P7C22 1914, Wardway Homes, Montgomery Ward, Chicago, Illinois. If you look at an old Sears catalog, youll find that while kit houses did not include plaster (due to shipping weight), your 12,000-piece kit house did come with good quality lath. Sears homes can be found across the continental United States. Hello, Im looking for help identifying my home. In short, it's a house whose blueprints and building supplies were ordered from a specialty Sears catalog, and all of these supplies were shipped, by rail (primarily), to the homeowner (who either chose to build the house himself, or use a contractor to arrange the construction). Sears reported that more than 70,000 of these homes were sold in North America between 1908 and 1940. After 1940: However some homes could have been purchased around 1939 or 1940 but not completed until several years later, depending 10+ American Foursquare Sears Kit House Plans [Part 1] by Jen July 27, 2022. Please take a look there as that's more thorough than if I'm asked to make up that advice de-novo here. And with this stroke of genius, the Sears & Roebuck Kit Homes were born. Becky Bracken covers celebrity and other notable real estate for Realtor.com. I'm in search of the floor plan that goes with this old house that we believe is an old Sears Kit house. North American Construction Company, Bay City, Michigan. The milestones, introductions and stories fill volumes. Only seven Magnolias are known to exist, including one at 1500 James St., Syracuse. It also has a daydream-worthy covered porch with three exposures; a perfect spot for a late summer dinner. Possibly built in 1923. 1925. I can't figure out what model this home is. Not every house in a community of 1920s-era houses, is a Sears house, for example far, far from it, in fact, as only about 2% of houses built in the kit era, were built with kits from Sears. 1931. Your planned basement project may very well give you added clues to your home's identification. was so identified and its history written in a Poughkeepsie Journal article in 1990. On 2022-04-20 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator. New York ranks fourth on the list with 1,679. As I live in this part of St. Louis, I have been inside some of these houses, have spoken to owners of some of these houses, and have been able to notice details, from the exterior, that show elements on the house that are from other companies. Specially prepared plaster was also sold in bags of the hard plaster and top coat hard plaster to be applied over this Sears plasterboard. Like most well built craftsman homes, everything just works. by Sears & Roebuck in 1908, and eventually Sears offered 370 different models of residential homes, ranging from small bungalows Thanks - anonymous by private email 2021/11/06, another photo of this house was posted on this page. As the need for suburban housing grew, construction of neighborhoods of modest homes was needed. With so many of these homes sold, many still come up for sale. There . Most folks turned to their local lumberyard or a local contractor, who would have offered booklets of modest-to-elaborate house plans for American home buyers to choose from (we call these, simply. The best starting place is to read through the article above on this page. Sometimes, people will say. I would love some insight! So far we haven't found Sears identifying marks, but will be renovating the basement soon and will be able to look more closely. by Inspectapedia Com Moderator. [Click to enlarge any image]. The columns are pure Sears Modern, as is the awning, but like 920 North Madison, it seems to have grown in size over the past few decades. after 1940. You will not receive a notification when a response to your question has been posted. Stamps on millwork or labels from "Norwood Sash and Door" (maybe) indicate Sears suppliers. While sold primarily to East Coast and Midwest states, Sears homes have been located as far south as Florida and as far west as California. For most of its years in operation, the Sears Modern Homes department served its customers from three locations: In Cairo, Illinois, Sears had a 40-acre lumber and millwork plant. 61 proven lead gen ideas from coaches & top-producing agents. But nestled in a golf course in Anderson, Indiana, we found this gorgeous and stately Sears catalog home that wouldnt look out of place in Greenwich, Connecticut or Westchester. 240 Best Sears kit homes ideas | sears kit homes, kit homes, sears Sears kit homes 248 Pins 1y A Collection by Alanagh Macdougall Similar ideas popular now Architecture Sears Kit Homes Build Your Own The Creator America Building Youtube Life Diy Buildings Build your own Sears Kit Home - Life in America - YouTube Interesting History Sweet Home Cabin Sears opened Modern Homes sales centers in several cities, including two inMissouri - one in St. Louis and one in Kansas City. . by danjoefriedman (mod). The following excerpt is from Rosemary Thornton's book cited on this page: In 1915, Sears offered Wood Fiber Wall Board, an early sheetrock-type alternative to lath and plaster. NTL Stacks: NA8480.N61, Aladdin Homes. Each house has a link that you can click on, that takes you to a resource to see the house (blog post, real estate listing, or Google map). For nearly 100 years the home has been meticulously cared for and features hardwood flooring, enclosed front porch, and renovated kitchen. Keep it classy, please. Thanks!! - Thornton, op. Some early experiments by Sears included selling a kit to build The Madeira Historical Society has this Sears home kit catalog from 1932. By 1940 home designs, specifications (and building codes) @Judy Gehrlich, @Em H, We know of authenticated Sears houses that were built miles and miles from the location of the depot, and we know that the family hauled the kit supplies to their lot, nonetheless. 35 Point St., New Hamburg, NY, a 936 sq.ft. also see our Aladdin kit homes and catalogs found at would a S&R house have had bead board on all walls and ceilings?? Why not sell houses in kit form through his already ubiquitous Sears & Roebuck catalog? I have included an image of it. Price: $179,900 Historic house:Built in 1911, this Sears home sits on a large, corner lot in a historic district, surrounded by antebellum homes. It would be worthwhile to gain visual access to the next rafter or stud bay to the left of that shown in your photo where you may see a kit number or manufacturer's name. @Rossman6798, 1935. Thornton cites a Sears house which was completed around 1944. by Inspectapedia Com Moderator. @Dee, Sears, Roebuck and Company, Chicago, Illinois. NTL Stacks: NA8480.N6, Thanks to Ralph & Elizabeth Arlyck for information regarding Aladdin Kit homes - June 2010, Aladdin House Catalog, in reprint form, is available from Amazon.com, Aladdin Houses are cataloged by the Arts & Crafts Society at http://64.66.180.31/archive/aladdin.shtml, More information including a description of the Aladdin model. Apartment in Munich, Upper Bavaria. Some of those houses are still around, and the custom houses shown in the photos from the Sears archives we have located. The most complete answer to your question and advice on identifying kit hoes is found at KIT HOMES, Aladdin, Sears, Wards, Others. tips and photos with this article. At least, we think this is a Wabash. Ssrah. If you read about a product or service on this website, its because we genuinely think its great. Kit and Plan Homes by Bungalow Man. 1917. If the house at 35 Point St., New Hamburg, NY, was "shipped by Gordon Van Tine" It is more likely a Montgomery Ward "Wardway" structure, or perhaps one of the Van Tine company's own. We settled on Vallonia, because of the awning, but the porch and columns are all wrong. Wondering what model this Sears Craftsman is. Thanks for your interest! Montgomery Ward sold Van Tine homes under their own name. Rosemary Thornton, whose work is referenced in this document, is a leading expert on Sears catalog homes. What is a Sears kit house? Price: $239,000 Converse Heights: Built in 1925, this three-bedroom, Arts and Craftsstyle home shines. Asking: $484,500 Sears Modern Homes Model: The Glen Falls Year Built: 1928 Listing Agent: Markus Cross Listing Brokerage: Keller Williams Bluegrass. In addition to the four-bedroom home, the purchase price includes a workshop, a covered, outdoor entertaining area, an 1894 restored barn with attached two-car garage, a clubhouse, and a horse barn. NTL Stacks TH4819.P7M66 1924, Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the. A couple of years ago I became more interested in catalog and kit houses as Chicagoland is full of them, many coming from local companies like Sears, Montgomery Ward, and the Harris Brothers. One of the most fascinating parts of the story, is that the framing lumber was (in most cases) pre-cut and labeled, allowing the homebuilder to follow an instruction booklet to help in the organized construction process. That was the way our American towns were built. Number 44. Any ideas out there?? Square Footage: 1,356. The Crescent in Des Plaines is correctly identified. 1924 Bowers Beach, Delaware.