Pre-WW1 Sears Homes are scarce as hen’s teeth.
Well, almost as scarce as hen’s teeth. I’ve never seen a hen’s tooth, but I have seen a few pre-1917 Sears Homes.
Of these pre-1917 Sears Homes, one of the most popular is the Sears Maytown. And the good news is, it’s also one of the easiest to identify. In addition to that large turret on the home’s front, it also has a bay window on the front and the side. And if that’s not enough (and it should be), the house has a pedimented accent on the hipped porch roof, and a small window beside the front door, and two attic windows.
These are all architectural nuances that make it easy to identify the Maytown.
Supersize Me!
In 1916, Sears offered the option of adding an “additional two feet of width” to the standard Maytown. Cost: $45 more.
Now that’s a darn good deal.
In 1919, the “extra-chubby” Maytown was now 2-1/2 feet wider and those extra six inches came at a cost: The supersized Maytown was $125 more than the regular size.
So, have you seen the Maytown in your neighborhood? If so, please send me a photo!
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The Maytown as seen in the 1916 catalog.
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Supersize me! - In 1916, you could "supersize" your Sears Maytown by getting two extra feet added to its width. By 1921, the extra-chubby Maytown was given its own model number.
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In 1919, the Maytown was identified as "A Big Seller."
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And in 1919, the supersized Maytown cost $125 more than the slimmer version.
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By 1916, the Maytown was already a very popular house for Sears.
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Sometime before 1916, Mr. Chase built his Maytown in Grafton, Massachusetts.
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Mr. Chase's Maytown in 1916.
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Mr. Chase's Maytown in 2011. I wonder if he went with the supersized version? (Photo is courtesy of Kelly McCall Creeron and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.)
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One of the world's most perfect Maytowns is this one in Edwardsville, IL. For years, it was used as a Frat House (for nearby SIUE), so it's a miracle that this old house lived through *that* experience.
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Another perfect Maytown! This is one of my favorite pictures, in one of my favorite places: Shenandoah, Virginia.
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And you'll notice that the beauty in Shenandoah still has its original attic windows, replete with "marginal lites" (as they were known).
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I just bought a 1920 Mayfield just outside of Baltimore, MD. It’s intresting to known what it looked like originally.
I own a Sears Maytown in Newport RI. I was authenticated several years ago by Rebecca Hunter.
I am only the second owner.
I have a Maytown built about 1924 that sits next to a Sears Westly that still shows the stampings on the stair stringers.
My Maytown has a different floor plan than the #167 and a few other details that are different. I don’t know what model it is.
We just bought a Maytown! In Houston.
I notice that some here have three windows in the turret, and some have five windows. Perhaps the supersized one has five windows? We are thinking of putting in two more windows.
Hey. I would love to chat to some other Maytown owners. I’ve just renovated one in Wilmington NC. Mine was built in 1912.
My email is kennymussell@gmail.com