In Summer 2003, Dale Wolicki and I met up in Ohio and spent several days riding around seeking and finding a plethora of Sears Homes. It was a whole lot of fun. One of the happiest memories of that trip was when we found a Sears Westly, not too far from Norwood, Ohio (home of the Sears Mill). I was standing outside gawking at the house (in a not-so-nice part of town) when a ruffian appeared on the front porch and brusquely demanded, “What do YOU TWO want?”
Dale grabbed me by the upper-arm and pulled me back toward the car and said sweetly, “C’mon dear, time for us to go,” and then hollered at the unpleasant fellow on the front porch, “Sorry to bother you, sir. Her grandmother was raised in this house.”
I could hardly contain my laughter until we were safely ensconced back in Dale’s Mercury Mountaineer.
“My grandmother was raised in that house?” I asked him between paroxysms of laughter.
“Listen, you think that big lug gives a hoot about Sears Homes? I figured we’d better get out of there and fast, and that was the first thing that came to my mind.”
Since then, I’ve used that very line many times when someone threatening appears at a front door. It always works like a charm.
And it was while we were in the Norwood/Cincinnati area that we found Sears Modern Home #131, also known as the Atlanta. In fact, we found three of them in a city known as Wyoming, Ohio. It appears that a few modifications were made to these three Atlantas, but I remain convinced that these are Atlantas. And it’s also interesting to note that these were the ONLY Atlantas that I have ever seen, and yet there’s a note on the catalog page that these were also sold in Derby, Connecticut, Strouchburg, Pennsylvania, Boston, Massachusetts and Great Falls, Montana. Wow, I’d love to see those Atlantas, too!
Take a look at the pictures below, and compare the details.
From the 1916 Sears Modern Homes catalog.
Sears Atlanta, found in Wyoming, Ohio. The porches have been enclosed, and apparently were built with flat (instead of gabled) roofs.
Look at the details!
Compare these details to the image below. These "fireplace windows" (fixed sashes) would have been an easy addition. In fact, it's a surprise that they're not in the original floorplan. Without these windows, it'd be a window-less living room, which is quite odd.
And the details around the trim really are a nice match!
There were three of these in a row. This one was almost indistinguishable from the one above, except it had a gutter along the small shed roof over the front entryway.
The third of the Atlanta triplets there in Ohio.
To learn more about the Sears Magnolia, click here.
To learn more about Sears Homes, click here.
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There is another one in Wyoming in beautiful shape and one in Hartwell – not too far from Wyoming. I’ll either find my pics or take new ones next week.
I’ve always suspected those houses were Atlantas – and wished you were there to see what you thought – now I know!!
We have several of the original Atlanta apartments here in Roanoke Va.
Hi Lori, Please supply an address? Roanoke has several kit homes, but that Atlanta was a very unique design, and I’ve never seen one anywhere but in the Cincinnati area.
Hello,
I have no idea how I came across this but I’m so happy I did. I’m actually moving in to one of the apartments next month. The layout sadly isn’t dead on but pretty close.
I love history and I have always been fascinated by sears homes, and when I walked in and was told what year it was built I even asked if it was. The guy wasn’t sure of course. Now I know 🙂
There are two more in Wyoming, Ohio that more closely resemble the catalog page (porches not enclosed). One on Sherry Road and one on Poplar Ave.
Does anyone have access to the original plans for these? I would love to build a new one in California as a reenactment project (still following modern regulations of course, but as close to the original as possible).