Carlinville, Illinois has 152 Sears Homes in a 12-block area. The neighborhood with all these Sears Homes is known as Standard Addition. To read more about the history of this enclave of kit homes, click here. Part of a $1 million order placed by Standard Oil of Indiana, Standard Addition features eight designs of Sears Homes. (An aside: Carlinville does not have the largest collection of Sears Homes, as is often reported. That honor goes to Elgin, Illinois – with 210 Sears Homes.)
Interestingly, the houses in Standard Addtion are all two-story homes and they’re all modest homes, averaging about 1000 square feet (and less). The eight models are:
1) The Warrenton
2) The Roseberry
3) The Whitehall
4) The Lebanon
5) The Langston
6) The Windsor
7) The Madelia
8 ) The Gladstone
Below, I’ve posted pictures of the original catalog page, followed by extant houses in Carlinville.
Sears Warrenton as seen in the 1919 Sears catalog.
Sears Warrenton in Standard Addition. I like the pink bottom, and I like the fact that this house retains its original sidings, but the lattice work around the porch is a little distracting.
Sears Roseberry from the 1920 Modern Homes catalog.
Sears Roseberry in Standard Addition
Sears Whitehall
This Sears Whitehall is in originally wonderful condition!
Sears Lebanon
The windows on the porch of the Sears Lebanon were probably added soon after the house was built, or in the 1930s. Very nicely done.
Gladstone/Langston. As you'll see below, there's very little difference between the Sears Gladstone and the Langston.
The salt-treated porch railings, foundation lattice work, and satellite dish are probably not original.
The heading reads, "For Better Class Workers." I'm happy to report that Sears did not offer a house for "Lesser Class Workers."
Desperate to remain in contact with the outside world after losing its front windows, this clever little Carlin erected a Ham Radio antenna.
Madelia
The railings and lattice work on this Sears Madelia are not original, but they are nicely done. A most attractive little house!
Gladstone
The spacious porch on this Gladstone was closed in, but the remodeling was done in a sensitive manner. You can still see the unique porch columns with their flared blocks at the top. This Sears House. The fireplace is a rarity among Standard Addition's homes. It was probably added later.
Vintage photo of Standard Addition, shortly after the houses were built.
To learn more about Sears Homes, click here.
To buy Rose’s book, click here.
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