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...

The Princeville: A Dandy Home!

Another not-so-popular house, and yet, it sure is easy to identify! This house has many very unusual features that really make it “jump off the curb” at you. The arrangement of the dormers on the second floor is pretty eye-catching (three windows in the...