Updated! We have some beautiful photos now!!
*
Click here to see the new pictures!
*
Thanks to a remarkable and rare document that came into my life, Rachel Shoemaker and I have been able to find several customized Sears Homes. One of these is in Glen Ellyn (a Chicago suburb) and it’s a real beauty.
Absent this document (which wholly authenticates this as a Sears House), I’d never have known that this was a “Sears kit home.”
As with the other customized Sears Home we found, this house in Glen Ellyn was also owned by a high-ranking Sears employee, who started at Sears in the 1910s and remained with the company for many years.
According to city records, it was built in 1930 (which is probably about right) and has almost 4,500 square feet. Apparently, it hasn’t been offered for sale in many years, for there is no record of recent sales.
The photos below aren’t very good quality, and if anyone in the Chicago area would like to snap some better images, I’d be grateful!
To read about the other customized Sears Homes, click here.
Sometimes, Sears Homes look a lot like plan book homes.
*
This beautiful Colonial Revival is a Sears kit house, ordered by a long-time Sears employee. The bay window has a copper roof and the primary roof appears to be slate (although it is hard to be sure). Thanks to the county assessor for providing such a lovely photo!
*
It's hard to tell from these low-resolution images, but I suspect that those are copper gutters and it appears to be a solid-brick home. This was (and is) a very well-built home, and spacious, with almost 4,500 square feet.
*
Shown here is a Sears Jefferson in Carbondale, Illinois. Take a look at that entrance. It is a match to the house in Glen Ellyn - right down to the details. The Jefferson in Carbondale was built in the late 1920s.
*
Here's a close-up of that front door on the Jefferson.
*
The customized Sears House in Glen Ellyn is also a little reminiscent of the Sears Preston.
*
The Preston was pretty fancy inside.
*
It's likely that the interior of the Glen Ellyn house has a few of these extra touches, too.
*
I'd love to get some bettter images of this house in Glen Ellyn, but for now, these will have to do! And it sure would be fun to know if the home's current owners know that they have a "Sears kit house"!
*
To read about the other customized Sears Homes, click here.
Sometimes, Sears Homes look a lot like plan book homes.
*
I just bought and now live in a Sears kit home from 1929 – the Ferndale! I searched all over to find out more about them and was brought to your blog! This is all so interesting š