OOOH! I have new photos! Click here to see the new photos!
Faithful readers of my fun little blog will note that I have pictures of the five living Sears Magnolias in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio, Alabama, and New York. There was a Sears Magnolia in Nebraska, but it was torn down decades ago.
However, until now, I didn’t have any photos of the “Maggy” in South Bend, Indiana.
And then I sold my car.
Or tried to.
When the odometer on my tired old Camry hit 170,000 miles, I decided it was time to replace the old girl. But then, I couldn’t find the car title. Boy did I search. After all, I’m a writer. I don’t lose things. I have 27 boxes of research notes, all painstakingly organized and carefully filed away.
But that car title eluded me.
In the process of searching the entire house, I did find many other things, including these photos of the Sears Magnolia in South Bend, Indiana. Only thing is, I have no idea who snapped these photos for me. Some kind soul took these photos and mailed them to me. Based on markings found on the pictures, it appears that the photos date to Fall 2003.
The Sears Magnolia was the the crème de la crème of Sears Homes. It had 2-1/2 baths, two fireplaces, four spacious bedrooms and a sleeping porch, two staircases (front and rear), and a grand total of almost 3,000 square feet. The front of the house boasted two-story ionic (and sometimes Corinthian) porch columns, with a porte cochere on one side and a 140-square-foot sunporch on the other side.
It was quite a house.
Is there a Sears Magnolia in your neighborhood? If so, send me a photo. I suspect there are many more Magnolias in the country. Heretofore, we’ve found seven. It sure would be fun to find Number Eight!
Two requests: If anyone reading this blog lives in South Bend, I’d love to get some newer photos! And it’d be just swell to have an address for this house in South Bend. 🙂
To learn more about the Sears Magnolia, click here.
Read about the fellow who built a Magnolia in Ohio here.
To read about the exhumation of my Aunt Addie, click here.
To buy your dear mother the perfect Mother’s Day gift, click here.
The Magnolia as seen in the 1921 catalog.
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You can see from the floorplan, this was a big house!
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And thanks to some unknown soul, here's a photo of the Sears Magnolia in South Bend, Indiana. Photo was taken sometime in late 2003. If that "unknown soul" is reading this, please contact me, so that I may give proper photo credit! 🙂
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Another view of the Maggy in South Bend. And yes, it's clad in a scratchy aluminum outfit, but maybe - just maybe - that's been removed since this photo was snapped nine years ago. And aluminum siding is recyclable (unlike vinyl). After it's removed, it can be taken to a salvage yard and it often fetches a handsome price!
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Another view of our Sears Maggy in South Bend. LOVE those columns!
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A cool old picture (early 1920s I think) of the Magnolia in Benson, NC. I found it interesting that this house was photographed from the same angle as the house in South Bend!
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Here's a picture of the person who drove the getaway car for our mystery photographer. I surely would love to know who got these photos for me, and I'm mighty grateful.
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To see more photos of the Sears Magnolia, click here.
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I’d be happy to get a picture of the Magnolia for you. I’m in South Bend. But I would need to know where to look for it.
@James
Hey James, I sent you an email! 🙂
325 West North Shore Drive is the location of this house.
Are you sure it’s not 404 West North Shore Dr? Do you still need a picture?
@Garrett
I got photos!!! New blog to be posted soon!! 🙂
We have a Magnolia in Mississippi. It stands on the banks of Lake Washington.We are currently trying to raise money to save it. It’s known as the Suzie B. Law house in Glenn Allen Ms. We’re having a fundraiser June 28 th to save her.
Hi Paula,
I found a photo online. Sorry to say, but that’s not a Magnolia. 🙁
I really wish it was – for BOTH our sakes!
Rose
I live next door to the South Bend Maggy. We are thinking for buying it and bringing it back to its former glory. The current owner has neglected it and it is in real danger. 325 North Shore Drive is correct. I can send you new photos if you still need them.
Actually, you don’t want new pictures. The ones you have are much better than any you would get today. The house is falling apart. There is a current pic of the front door on line, the storm door is open (it is never closed) there is a white rocker on the porch and you can see how badly the paint is peeling on the ceiling of the porch roof. You would cry if you saw the condition of this house!!
The top picture you have was not taken in 2003, it was taken much earlier when our dear neighbor Frank owned the house and lovingly brought it back to where the picture is now from a total mess.
I can tell that this picture was taken probably in the early 90s or earlier as the tree in front that is being supported by the stake matured and was taken out a few years ago by a drunk driver, it was almost full grown.
The bottom picture could have been from 2003, the key would be to find out what year that Jeep is. Unfortunately the landscaping has not been maintained and the property is overgrown.
This could end up being the most spectacular Maggy, it sits on the river. If we buy this house we will keep the two lots that sit between us and the Maggy, the lots originally belonged to the Maggy.
@Monica Hoban
Monica, I just read your post and am interested if you were able to purchase the property. My husband and I are looking to build and I fell in love with the Magnolia as I scoured various catelogues.
I would love to see one up close and personal, if possible. Especailly the inside to get an idea if it would work for my family. We live in Ohio and it wouold be an easy day trip.
If you have not been able to purchase it maybe you know the last owners and I can contact them to see if it is possible to get inside. Thank you for your help and love of preserving thsese homes – what a great thing.
Alison Boggs