Cottage Living March 2008
Around the turn of the century, companies such as Sears & Roebuck and Montgomery Ward sold homes out of catalogs. The houses were shipped to the home site, complete with instructions and numbered materials (including nails!), just as we might receive an assembly-required piece of furniture today.
Jump down for the a sure-fire way to know if your house joins these historic ranks.
Once considered "pedestrian," kit homes are now coming back into style among home preservationists and architects. Bursting with intricate woodwork, charming built-ins, and easy floor plans, one would never guess that these "anti-McMansions" were picked straight out of a catalog.
Illinois, and the Midwest in general, is home to a ton of these small and charming cottages. Yet, trying to figure out if you have an authentic mail-order home can be tricky. Due to their popularity, unaffiliated builders would often copy the kit design. So even though your house may look similar, it might not be the real deal. The best and easiest way to spot a genuine catalog home is to find a part number imprinted on a structural beam. So go - run down and check out the ceiling joists in your basement!
For the full Cottage Living article, go HERE. For a slideshow of more homes, go HERE.
Photos: Cottage Living (Thanks, Rex!)
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I love these cute little bungalows.
view LaDonnaNichole's profile
These are my favorite kinds of homes.
view Jamie's profile
The first photo is seriously my dream home.
view kellylc's profile
My grandparents had one of these... best. house. ever.
I love the idea of a house coming with assembly required a la IKEA, just hopefully with better instructions...
view talkprettylady's profile
There are a good number of these in Long Beach, CA. A friend lives in one, but also discovered that there wasn't a foundation put in.
view pb's profile
There are 2 of the second house within one block of me...directly across the street from each other and they are sweet!
If only Wards and Sears had stayed in the home business they wouldn't be where they are now...dead and/or dieing.
view hdtex's profile
Oh these are my dream.
view emily!'s profile
As there is no local hardwood and there was only one brick work factory in our Western Town when it was growing, there are manyy kit homes in the area around the University here. Unfortunately, they have no historic designation and may not last much longer. (The press for housing in that area is fierce).
view Alana in Canada's profile