So reads the text in the 1920 Lewis Manufacturing catalog (shown below).
Lewis Manufacturing (based in Bay City), was one of the six national companies that sold kit homes through mail order catalogs. The San Fernando was one of their most popular homes. The houses of Lewis Manufacturing are typically found in the Midwest and in New England. Lewis had a sales office in Syracuse, NY so I’m certain there are many of these Lewis Homes in and around the Syracuse area.
Cover of the 1920 Lewis Homes catalog.
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The Lewis San Fernando was one of their most popular designs.
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Nice floor plan, too.
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This photo was taken in 2003. Hopefully this house has been repainted, because the purple really does not do it justice. That's my dear friend Dale Wolicki in the front yard.
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My buddy Dale and I love reading and learning (and writing!) about these old houses! Dale even managed to put himself into a 1920 Lewis Homes catalog!
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Ooh, and here's the info on the Lewis Office in Syracuse! This faded text appeared on the front page of this 1920 Lewis Homes catalog, which happens to have been a gift from Dale in 2003.
To learn more about Sears Homes, click here.
To read about Addie Hoyt, click here.
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Rose,
It’s funny that you posted this today, as I just discovered two very intact San Fernandos in DC, about a mile from my house (and a couple of blocks away is one of those Cheltenhams from the cover!
I contacted one of the owners, waiting to hear from her.
Lewis had a couple of very successful offices in DC in the early to mid-1920s and–according to Washington Post interviews with their representative, they sold a lot of their homes here to builders.
I live in a “San Fernando” Bungalow built `1920 in Leominster, MA. 01453 It is located at 44 Bartlett Street. I have never seen another like it anywhere.
If you send me an email, I can send you some pictures. With the exception of slightly different location for the basement windows, my house is an EXACT match with the drawing on your website.
Jon Rowland
@Jon Rowland Jon, I’ve started a Pinterest board for collecting images of San Fernandos: http://pinterest.com/carinindc/san-fernando-and-ardmore-bungalows/
I’d love to see pics of your house. I’m interested in the ways the houses have changed over the years. My email is carinr@gmail.
Thanks!
Carin Ruff
@Carin
Carin, I’d love to do a blog on nothing but the San Fernando. Can you send some images to me?