Last week, Hubby and I traveled to Vermont to see all the pretty things up there (including the Ben and Jerry’s Factory).
Sadly, I didn’t see much in the way of kit homes, but I did discover this gorgeous “San Fernando” offered by Lewis Homes (early 1920s).
The house is just across the Connecticut River in New Hampshire in a small town known as Lebanon. (We ended up staying at the Fireside Inn and Suites in West Lebanon.)
Lewis Homes was a kit home company (like Sears and Aladdin), and it was based in Bay City, Michigan. While Sears and Aladdin tend to get all the ink, the fact is that there were six companies selling kit homes on a nation-wide basis.
As you can see from the pictures below, it is a gorgeous house and has its original windows and siding. Might even be the original storm windows!
To read about the other pretty houses I found in this area, click here.
Read about my train adventure by clicking here!
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The Lewis San Fernando is a beautiful bungalow (1924 catalog).
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It merited a two-page spread in the 1924 catalog!
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And with two floorplans!
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These floorplans appear to be the same (mostly), but this one is two feet longer (1924).
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It really is a beautiful bungalow!
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Located on Main Street in Lebanon, NH, this is a beautiful San Fernando!
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Perfect - DOWN to the details!
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Hard to say for sure, but these are either original storms or fine-looking replacements.
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Here's a San Fernando that Dale and I found in Ohio. That's Dale looking at the house.
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While in Vermont, we drove up to Graniteville to visit the Rock of Ages Quarry. The water is turqouise color due to some of the minerals leeching out from the rock.
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One of my favorite pre-cut homes, and the original house pictured in the catalog illustration still stands in Bay City, Michigan and looks just like it did when it was built in 1914!
New Hampshire had its own pre-cut housing company. Thayer Portable Homes were manufactured in the Keene, New Hampshire area between 1920 and 1940.
Although I have a few of their catalogs no one has ever stepped forward with an actual Thayer house or cottage.
Maybe a local historian will see this post and Rose will appoint them an authorized “pre-cut house detective” for New Hampshire.
http://75.103.83.51/resources/monadnock-moments/thayer-portable-houses/
Thanks for the link Shari D!
I had no idea Springfield Portable Homes became Thayer Portable Homes. I have a couple of Springfield Portable Homes catalog.
So if anyone has pics of a Thayer or Springfield Portable House let us know.