The Crescent was a very popular kit house for Sears, and I’d venture to guess that it was one of their top ten most popular designs.
It was offered in two floorplans (Mama-sized and Papa-sized) and with an optional extra-high roof (Grandpapa sized).
Because of this, Crescents can be found in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes, the pitch of the porch roof was changed to be more proportionate to the primary roof. Today, this results in all manner of confusion about whether or not a Crescent is the real deal.
Below are several examples of Sears Crescents from all over the country.
Sears Crescent, as seen in the 1929 Modern Homes catalog.
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"Interior Views" of the Crescent (1929).
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Close-up of the Crescent's kitchen (1929).
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Nice looking living room, too!
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The bedrooms weren't' this big but why let details get in the way of a nice story?
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The Crescent was offered with two floorplans, C33258A (shown here).
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And this C3259A (the larger floorplan). Note it has THREE columns on the front porch.
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Adding a couple dormers (on the front) to the optional "finished" second floor would have created a lot more space. The finished second floor was only offered with the smaller Crescent. But that does not mean that someone couldn't finish off the 2nd floor on their own!
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Glen Ellyn (Illinois) has a Crescent with three dormer windows.
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This dormered Crescent is in Ypsilanti. Photo is copyright 2013 Andrew and Wendy Mutch and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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In Ypsilanti, they like their Crescents with dormers! Photo is copyright 2013 Andrew and Wendy Mutch and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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A sad little Crescent waits for death in Godfrey, IL. Again, note the unique angle of the porch roof. This has also been authenticated as a Sears Home.
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A picture-perfect Crescent in Raleigh. The dormers were original to the house.
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Some Crescents have very steep porch roofs and some have very shallow. This Crescent in West Point has been authenticated by Rose as the real deal.
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This Crescent look-a-like is in Atlanta. I suspect it is NOT a Crescent.
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A Sears Crescent in Wheaton, IL.
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Hubby and I found this Crescent on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
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Is this a Sears Crescent? It's in Elmhurst IL.
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This poor Crescent in Elgin, IL has had a hurting put on it. Rebecca Hunter has authenticated this house as a Sears Crescent.
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It's been remodeled, but you can still see it's a Crescent. (Elgin, Illinois)
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This Crescent is also in Elgin, IL.
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Elgin Illinois has the largest known collection of Sears Homes in the country. They have a lot of Sears Crescents, too!
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Not surprisingly, the Chicago suburbs are full of Sears Homes. This one is in Crystal Lake.
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Another beautiful Crescent. This one is in Champaign, IL.
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I stalked this house for 30 solid minutes, but the young woman on the porch never did hang up the phone, so in desperation, I snapped a photo of the house, phone caller and all. This beauty is in Charlotte, NC.
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A perfect Crescent in Charlotte, NC.
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This Crescent also has the less-steep pitch on the porch roof, but it's most likely a Sears Crescent. Notice the medallion inside the front porch (on the wall).
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This photo was taken in 2003 (and it was scanned from an old slide) and it's in Bloomington, IL.
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Is this a Crescent? The pitch of the porch roof is much less than that of the traditional porch roof in other Crescents, but I'd be inclined to say it probably is a Crescent. This house is in Wood River, Illinois.
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This Crescent has a dramatically raised second floor. To compensate for the extra steep pitch of the roof, the porch roof was also raised a bit. This beauty is in Alton, Illinois.
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Yet another dormered Crescent is in Ypsilanti. Photo is copyright 2013 Andrew and Wendy Mutch and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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A beautiful and well-loved Crescent in Webster Groves, MO (near St. Louis). Again, look at the variation on the pitch of that porch roof, and yet this is an authenticated Sears Home.
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Now this house has some dormers! It's in Illinois, and was discovered by Rebecca Hunter. Photo is copyright 2013 Rebecca Hunter and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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The Crescent was a perennial favorite and was offered from 1919 to 1933. It's shown here in the 1933 Sears Modern Homes catalog.
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To learn more about how to identify kit homes, click here.
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I live in Batavia, IL and have a Crescent Model house as well. We even have the actual catalog that the original owner purchased the home from.
The third crescent (Pittsfield, not really Ypsilanti) was ours for all of a month and a half in 2005, but our house wouldn’t sell.
It is the B floor plan and was raised and a new basement put in, and main room kept original, with kitchen and bath updated (badly).
It wouldn’t sell after the seller wouldn’t renew with us, and eight months later it became a rental property, and that was when they pulled all the original windows (argh).
It was what got me heavy into bungalow/kit homes, and getting you book. I was gathering pictures of many of the same homes to let you know of the group of kit homes we have in the area, but I got beat.
Mitch Gillett
@Mitchell Gillett Mitch thanks for sharing that information about the house.
I was the one who took the photos in Pittsfield (I don’t think I realized that was actually Pittsfield until later).
Do you know of any other kit homes in that area besides the Wardway Dresden, the Vallonia and the three Crescents? Know any of the history of why those houses ended up where they did?
Nobody from the local historical societies was able to shed any light on how those homes ended up there.
I live right next to a very nice Crescent in Wayland, Michigan. Remarkably well-kept home.
At some point the entire home was raised about 3-cement blocks. I’ve been in the unfinished basement years ago and it sat once-upon-a-time on a “Michigan basement” but now the entire profile is raised including the front porch.
Very nicely done though so you’d never know from the outside. It’s about to go on the market according to my neighbor.
We bought a lovely little Crescent about 35 years ago in Valparaiso, Indiana.
It was built with a full basement with garage to fit a Model T. The drive was later back filled.
The doorway and front windows are original. The attic (sans dormers) has been made into a couple of bedrooms and closet space.
The Crescent reminds me of the Ardara. Were they produced at the same time or did one precede the other?
We have a Crescent as well in north Jersey.
We have been interested in expanding the house, but maintaining its craftsman style.
We have a small sunroom in the middle rear of the house and our second floor is one large master bedroom with small full bath.
I live near one outside Sun Prairie WI and work near one in Madison Wi. Would you like photos and addresses?
The original owner of the one in Sun Prairie was the grandparents of the currnent owner.
They have added on a larger kitchen and dining/family area on the back in the footprint like the B model.
Rick
@Andrew Mutch
There’s a Hathaway that was for sale a little bit ago on Packard Rd.
http://www.trulia.com/homes/Michigan/Ypsilanti/sold/2058475-2780-Packard-Rd-Ypsilanti-MI-48197
The Crescent pictured from Elmhurst, Il is our 1924 Sears Crescent.
It is, indeed, an authentic Crescent which was lovingly updated and remodeled, but maintains it’s original charm.
Hello!
So I’m thinking I have just purchased a Crescent built in 1930.
I believe it would be the larger floor plan C3259A. Can anyone help me decide?
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/306-Hickman-St-Bridgeville-PA-15017/11399961_zpid/
@Elizabeth
Yes, that is a Crescent.
I’ve got lots of interior photos of a 1928 Sears Crescent, pretty much all original, if you are interested in seeing them shoot me a message or join Rose’s facebook group here…. http://www.facebook.com/groups/searsmodernhomes/
I’ll show you where can see them. You will recognize a few things 🙂
@Rachel Shoemaker
Thanks so much Rachel!!!
And I’d LOVE to see the pics–would you be able to email them to me? I don’t have a facebook account.
Thank you!
Hi all,
I would love to know if this house is a 1926 Sears Crescent?!
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4824-Linscott-Ave-Downers-Grove-IL-60515/4564734_zpid/
Thanks!
My parents owned a Crescent 1607 Whitcomb Ave. Des Plaines, il
We bought the Crescent about 25 years ago in Paramus, New Jersey. And it still looks same!
We purchased a 1926 Crescent from the original owners, everything is original with blueprints and original cabinets, woodwork and lighting. In fact, our lighting is still the push button type. We absolutely love our home in West Dundee, Illinois.
3 Fuller Avenue, Chatham, NJ. Always believed it was a ’24 Crescent..built in 1927 by my paternal grandfather. Remained in the family thru 1999 when my mother died. Has the ’58A floor plan. A ‘sun room’ with French windows was added off the dining room; It was included with the original plans when the house was sold.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7381802,-74.3819056,3a,56.9y,73.49h,75.9t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0zPkvEcWk0yCs2HC6wY-kQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1
What gets me is the original Sears double garage is still on site; one where the side panels were supposed to provide much of the support. My father and I each repaired those panels numerous times.
Sadly the oak bookcase room dividers between the LR and DR were taken out in the mid fifties. The place was sided in 1981 when the front trim disappeared. Original stuff as the front door, porch light, porch columns are original. The flower boxes were replaced in the mid 1990’s.
Haven’t been back since the day I sold the place…
We are closing on a Crescent at 331 Southlawn in East Lansing, MI on Friday!
It appears to be Model 3259A except the stairs go straight up just inside the front door and the floor plan is flip flopped. Apparently a lady who used to live in the house HAD the original catalog but loaned it to someone and never got it back.
It has a small addition that was added to the back of the house and we plan to gut the kitchen and expand into the dining room but hoping to keep a lot of the vintage charm.
We have an upstairs with 3 bedrooms and a bath (the 3rd bedroom came along with the addition took place – we think).
We’re really excited to be moving into a 1925 home with so much charm! Love seeing all the pictures and possibilities!
@Eileen Donahugh
I’d love to see any photos if you happen to post any.
My Crescent in Mi is well preserved. I am the 4th owner. However, it still needs a lot of restoration to return it to it’s original charm. Any 3d reference photos would be amazing.
Once this is restored I would love to share it on here.
I am so thankful for this site and mostly for this post.
My house is pictured above (located in Wood River) and I always felt it was a Sears home, but know I know!! Thank you!
There are eight Sears Craftsman kits in Cape Charles, VA. I have addresses in my records somewhere, if you want, I’ll look and send to USPS address. == DAN
Daniel,
I’m the one that the local historical society hired to do that survey.
I’m a little disappointed that my name got disconnected from my good work.
Sigh.
I live in a1927 Cresent in Berea Ohio. What a cute place. We found Sears and Roebuck Co. on the back of the drywall when we insulated and re-wired the house. I was amazed to find all this info about it on the internet-too fun!
@Eileen Donahugh
I just purchased a 1930 Crescent and it has alot of the original wooodwork and windows. It is model C3259A. I would love to see the original blueprints. Would you be able to email them? I am trying to update and restore as much of the original house a possible.
Thanks
We are currently renting the third “crescent” homes pictured above in Michigan. We are in love with the floor plan and the house.
I enjoy reading your posts!
Delighted to find your site! There is a Crescent Home in Madeira, Ohio near Cincinnati. It houses the Madeira Historical Society and is open to the public by appointment and on specific Saturdays and Sundays April-December.
I was just appointed their Museum Director and would welcome any information your could share. We are beginning to update displays for the April opening.
Elizabeth Miller, the former owner gave the house to the community. The grounds are open dawn to dusk. With the help of the area Boy Scouts and volunteers, we have just restored the Chicken Coup.
Please feel free to visit our website http://www.madeirahs.org and Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/MadeiraHistoricalSociety.
We’re in the midst of buying this home.
Thinking it’s a Crescent but it has not been authenticated yet.
When we move in we’ll look for clues!
Anyone have an opinion just looking at the zillow images? https://www.zillow.com/savedhomes/for_sale/11473495_zpid/1_pnd/40.469282,-79.964505,40.338693,-80.149041_rect/12_zm/1_rs/1_fr/
@ScotFleming, a Zillow account is necessary to view the link. Have you a regular link?
This has been quite an experience…here in Sanford, Maine, there’s a Sears Crescent for sale. I had no idea that Sears sold kit houses until the ad piqued my interest and my research began. Thank you for sharing this information.
I’m so excited. I was looking for some design ideas wanting to restore my front porch and have become convinced that my charming 1927 cottage is a crescent.
I would be thrilled to learn it was.
I live in Glen Ellyn, Il, and my town and neighboring communities have tons of sears kit homes. It’s the smaller model.
I’d love to finish the attic and add some dormers now that I know that’s an option.
Also curious about how to find plans to restore the porch, mine is a bit different from those pictured; I don’t know if it was altered at time of build or later…