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...

Did You Know About This *Other* Website?

For five years, Dale Wolicki and I labored to write a book on Wardway Homes titled, The Mail Order Homes of Montgomery Ward. My oh my, did we work hard on that book! This incredible tome has 347 pages and more than 500 vintage and extant photos of the kit homes sold...

The Sears Homes of Suffolk (Virginia)

One of my favorite memories from childhood was riding with my father to Suffolk to visit the peanut vendors and inspect their product. My father was an assistant manager at Skippy Peanut Butter in Portsmouth, and also their purchasing agent. Suffolk has always been...