The Sears House Lady of Tulsa, also known as indefatigable kit house researcher Rachel Shoemaker, made a little detour the other day on her way home (as we kit house lovers are wont to do), and made a wonderful discovery: A supersized Aladdin Villa in Bartlesville, Oklahoma!
The Aladdin Villa, as offered in the 1919 catalog, was 62 feet across the front (including the sunporch). That’s a big house, but the Villa that Rachel discovered is even wider.
Best of all, the Villa in Bartlesville is well-loved, and has been painstakingly maintained.
To visit Rachel’s website, click here.
Interested in learning how to identify kit homes? Click here.
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The Villa was the crème de la crème of Aladdin's kit homes. It was spacious, beautiful, and elegant. This drawing was based on the Villa built in Bay City, Michigan (the corporate headquarters for Aladdin). Maybe that's Otto and William on the front porch?
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One of the more interesting options available was the "third floor maids' quarters."
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The Villa's living room was prominently featured in the 1919 Aladdin catalog.
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And the Villa's sunporch had its own fireplace!
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If I'm doing my math right, this house was 62 feet across the front and 26 feet deep. That's a very spacious house. On many Villas, I've seen the optional second-floor sun room.
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Rachel's found this "supersized Villa" in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Photo is copyright 2013 Rachel Shoemaker and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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From the front, you can see just how massive this Villa really is. Photo is copyright 2013 Rachel Shoemaker and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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Close-up of the details around the front door. Photo is copyright 2013 Rachel Shoemaker and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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The owners have done some remodeling to the house, but have done a first-class job. It's one of the most historically sensitive and thoughtful remodelings that I've ever come across. Photo is copyright 2013 Rachel Shoemaker and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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Rachel even managed to get a picture of this grand old house from the REAR, showing off the massive sunporch. Photo is copyright 2013 Rachel Shoemaker and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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But wait, there’s more!
In addition to the Villa, Rachel also found a Sears 264P233 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma!
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From the 1914 Sears Modern Homes catalog, here's a picture of the Sears Model 264P233.
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Oh my, what a perfect match!! And it's in Bartlesville! Wow!
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To visit Rachel’s website (focusing on the kit homes of Oklahoma) click here.
To learn more about Roanoke Rapids, click here.
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What a grand house the Villa is! I would love to see the actual Villa in Bay City.
The Villa in Bartlesville is just south of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Price Tower, on South Dewey Ave. So, if any readers out there visit Price Tower, drive about one mile further south on Dewey and you can see this magnificent house.
Maid’s quarters? Yes indeed! For the couple that owned this house, it is likely that is what they used the third floor for! While researching this house and occupants, I discovered that they had a live-in maid.
I hope to find out a little more information before I write about the history of the house.
The neighbor told me that the current owners just recently added the second floor to that far right sun parlor.
The contractors did a fantastic job matching the addition and the roof. You have to look really hard to see where the addition starts, and know that you are looking for it. Which makes me wonder, do the current owners know that they have an Aladdin Villa? Surely they have found the “evidence” in all of their maintenance.
The Aladdin Homes experts confirm this house is a “Villa” offered between 1915-1922.
The Villa was never expected to be a big seller (about a dozen examples are known) but was meant to illustrate that Aladdin was more than a manufacturer of cottages and bungalows.
Aladdin wanted everyone to know it could manufacture houses of architectural character that you could build in upper class neighborhoods but at a savings of 2/3 the cost of traditional construction.
The original Villa still stands on the historic Center Avenue in Bay City Michigan.
@Dale Wolicki
Wow! That is VERY interesting to know Dale. Thanks for sharing that information.
The folks in Bartlesville should be very happy to have that information I would think. I know they don’t know that because they were completely unaware that it was even a kit home.
I will mention that the next time I feature the BartlesVilla 🙂
@Rachel Shoemaker
Hi Rachel,
Fasinating info. I have a Sear’s kit house (abandoned) I ride past on my ATV NW of Kingfisher, OK, (can send you pictures). And from 1975-1983, I lived in one out north of Enid, OK about 20 miles.
Very similar to the one your found in N Enid.
The one I lived in has been remodeled.
Wow! My house is the 264P233 pictured in Bartlesville. I never had any idea it is a Sears kit home.
I do love living in it though. Fell for it first time I saw it and have been painstakingly restoring it for years. Next week we get the oak floors refinished in the living, dining rooms and hallway.
Do you have an original floor plan? I don’t think the smaller bedroom originally had a window in the closet.
@Bob Rowe
Hello Bob, all….
I too have the Sears Model 264P233.
My home is located in Morristown, Tennessee.
I will try to post a pic in this message, if it doesn’t work, try clicking on the link for website and see if that works.
The front door has been taken down to a single door like yours but somewhere along its life someone shortened the front windows as well and added a carpet where the pergola was but the floor plan is exact.
@Bob Rowe
Actually Bob, click on my name to see the pic!
The floor plan is here: http://oklahomahousesbymail.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/sears-1914-the-savoy.jpg
Rachel, I live in Bartlesville, and am fascinated by the homes you have identified as Kit Homes.
I would like to personally invite you to visit Bville again.
I would be willing to contact the owner of the Villa. I’m sure that she would welcome you to visit her home on the inside and I would like to take you on a tour of old Bartlesville.
I feel sure that there are a number of other Kit homes here.
Hi Rachel, my family owns the Villa in Bay City. Just wanted to say that if you’re ever in the neighborhood feel free to knock. We happily give out tours in exchange for a bit of window washing. 😉
@Kim
Hi Kim! Although I have never been to Bay City physically I have “driven” the streets many times via the internet just to see all of the Aladdin homes and for my own memory and knowledge I researched the Sovereign family history.
I do hope to visit Bay City one day soon to see all of the homes firsthand.
When I do I will let you know and I would LOVE to have that tour! Thanks!!!