Something For My “Wish List”

Updated! Jennifer found one! Of the 370 models of kit homes offered by Sears & Roebuck, there are about 150 models that I’ve never seen. One of the most intriguing is the “Monterey.” It was very similar to the highly popular Sears Alhambra, but...

Alhambra Abuse

The Alhambra was a fine-looking Spanish-flavored bungalow, and a very popular model for Sears. However… In my travels, I’ve seen these little pretties subjected to all manner of abuse. The most egregious abuse is typically inflicted by vinyl-siding...

Riverside or Claremont?

Friend and fellow-Sears House aficionado Cindy Catanzara Goebel sent me some photos and asked, “Is this a Sears Riverside or Claremont?” I didn’t have a clue, so I dug out the old catalogs and studied the two models. And then I learned something new....

The Santa Rosa, by Gordon Van Tine

Last week, I did a blog on the Spanish bungalow that Sears offered – the San Jose. This week, I scanned some old slides from my trip (in 2004) to Burlington, Iowa, and among those old slides was a picture of the Gordon Van Tine house – the Santa Rosa! In...