Pretty, Pretty Preston!

“Houses By Mail” (published 1985) is a wonderful field guide for those seeking more information on the 370 models of Sears kit homes that were offered from 1908 – 1940. The book contains some factual errors, but it’s still one of my favorites...

The Sears 264P202! What a House!

Before 1918, Sears Homes were given numbers, not names. From a marketing perspective, it was brilliant to assign names to these models. After all, would you rather tell Mum and Dad that you’re buying “Sears Modern Home #2089” or that you’ve...

Buster Keaton and Sears Homes

Did you know that Buster Keaton did a short film about building a pre-cut kit house? First released in 1920, the 20-minute film shows happy newlyweds (Buster and Sybil) receiving the gift of a “ready-to-assemble” kit home. Driven by jealousy, an old beau...