When people think of Sears Homes, they think of Illinois or maybe the Midwest, but I’ve found many Sears Homes in the south! In fact, I’ve found hundreds in the Hampton Roads area (Southeastern Virginia). Yes, hundreds.
Recently, I went to Raleigh and drove around to look for Sears Homes. The ones I found were quite beautiful!
The first one (see pictures below) is a Sears Alhambra. The next one is either a Wardway Venice (a kit home from Montgomery Ward) or a Sears Winona. Hard to know for sure.
However, I am certain that they’re in unusually beautiful condition and a real treat to behold! And if they’re like most of the Sears Homes I find, the homeowners have no idea that they’re living in a historically significant house.
Buy Rose and Dale’s new book here.
Sears Alhambra from 1923 Modern Homes catalog
Sears Alhambra in Raleigh!
Sears Walton
Sears Walton, but if only I knew where! It's somewhere near downtown Raleigh.
Sears Crafton from the 1916 Modern Homes catalog.
Wardway Venice or Sears Winona? (Raleigh, NC)
And I saved the best for last: The Sears Magnolia is in Benson, NC. There are only six known Magnolias in the country, so finding one in Benson was quite a thrill!
Original catalog image from 1922 Sears Modern Homes catalog
Read another article about the Sears Magnolia in nearby Benson, NC here.
Durham, NC has some Sears homes too! Looking through the Sears Archives site I saw illustrations of many homes that I recognized from my neighborhood. I also recall a neighbor saying that his home is a Sears Home.
I find myself fantasizing of buying up some of the vacant lots around here, finding some of these old plans, and building some of these old homes.
Our house in Tahlequah OK was built about 1908 by a resident pharmacist. Oklahoma became a state in 1907, and people were in a hurry to get businesses and families set up in the area. We’ve seen our front door and our fireplace in an old Sears catalog, and wonder if our house might be a Sears house. It has beautiful exterior trimmings, stained glass windows, 11 foot ceilings, pocket doors, transoms.