A couple days ago, I did a “preview” blog on a stunning Hillrose in Brandy Station, Virginia (about three hours north of my home in Norfolk), and posted it in our Facebook group, Sears Homes, together with a blurb saying that there were other Hillroses in Griffith (Indiana), Alvada (Ohio), Stratford (Iowa), Waterman (Illinois), and Houghton (New York).
A long-time member of that group – Carrie Milam – spoke right up and offered to go find the Hillrose in Griffith, Indiana. I was tickled pink, as the Hillrose in Brandy Station was the only Sears “Hillrose” I’d ever seen.
Here’s the thing: Folks often promise to “go find that house” and I never hear back from them, but Carrie and her husband Greg jumped right in their car and started hunting for the house. Carrie said that it took about an hour to find our missing (and forgotten) Hillrose.
The house in Griffith has endured many changes in the last 95 years, but it’s still standing.
Thanks so much to Carrie Milam and Greg Decker for supplying the photos!
To read more about the Hillrose in Brandy Station, click here.
Why is the Hillrose such a prize? Read about it here.
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The Hillrose, as seen in the 1918 catalog.
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And we've still got a few missing!
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It's a distinctive house with some remarkable features, such as that oversized bay with three windows and a wide attic dormer with a small squared window. The window arrangement on the 2nd floor is also unique. It's unusual for a foursquare of this vintage to have two sets of three windows (with the widest window in the center), and smaller windows on the first floor. In other words, this house should be easy to spot!
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Lots of nice features inside too, such as a wash room for the hired hands (1918).
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There are four bedrooms upstairs, but they're not too big.
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Sweet thing, isn't it?
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And here it is in Griffith, Indiana. It's been through many changes, but I'd bet my hat that it's a Hillrose. Photo is copyright 2015 Greg Decker and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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A close-up on that bay shows that the details are right. In place of the diminutive small window (between the two long windows), there's a full-size window, but it's altogether possible that the house was built this way. The smaller window (shown in the catalog image) probably got swallowed up by that large addition on the rear. Photo is copyright 2015 Greg Decker and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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If you look down that left side and compare it to the floorplan, you can see that it's a good match. There's a tiny window in that closet (between the two large rooms on the left). Photo is copyright 2015 Greg Decker and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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The Hillrose in Brandy Station (shown on the right) has a door at the end of that first floor hallway, and a small porch has been added to the side of the house.
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The 2nd floor is also a good match to the floorplan. That small window on the 2nd floor is a landing window. Photo is copyright 2015 Greg Decker and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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So what happened to the porch?
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The Hillrose in Brandy Station still has its magnificent porch but it's endured some significant repairs through the years. What a pity that the Hillrose in Indiana suffered a porchectomy. That's a grievous loss for a foursquare.
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The vinyl-siding installers also had their way with the attic window. Photo is copyright 2015 Greg Decker and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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With a little bit different angle provided by Google maps, you can see it's definitely a Hillrose dormer.
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Perhaps one day, the home's happy owners might consider restoring the front porch. That brick decking is a puzzle, as it looks newer than the home, and yet it appears to have the same footprint as the original porch. Photo is copyright 2015 Greg Decker and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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Just around the corner from the Hillrose, Carrie and Greg found this darling Sears Crescent. Photo is copyright 2015 Greg Decker and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.
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Nice match, isn't it? (1921 Sears Modern Homes catalog)
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So where are those other Hillroses? š
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Thanks again to Carrie and Greg for finding this house and providing the wonderful photos.
To read more about the Hillrose in Brandy Station, click here.
Why is the Hillrose such a prize? Read about it here.
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My grandmother grew up in the Griffith Hillrose house you have pictured (311 N. Harvey). She and my grandfather eventually bought a house across the street (304 N. Harvey St.). I think I remember her mentioning that the house used to face what is now the alley behind it which was a street at the time. I don’t know if it was physically moved or reversed the layout.