It's amazing what I seem to find on the web when I have insomnia. Here's what I believe about the origins of the farmhouse.
Our home was either a kit from Sears Modern Homes or possibly Montgomery Wards. In the late 1800s, and then into the 1900s kit homes from Sears and other companies were popping up everywhere. Kit homes were an affordable way for many to buy everything they needed to build a home and it was all delivered by railway as one big kit. I can't find any images from Montgomery Wards but there was a store close by in neighboring Fremont Ohio so it might have been purchased from there. Maybe I'll get to the bottom of that once I get to the courthouse or Historical Society.
The first image here is a good footprint of our home today. I found it in a 1908 Sears Modern Homes Catalogue. It was called the Modern Home No. 264B110 or the Silverdale. I was a little worried at the year it appeared because our home was built in 1900. However, I found historical information that indicates Sears was producing home kits as early as 1895.
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| The Silverdale Kit in 1908 |
The Mister was quick to point out what it cost to build this entire home back in the day!If you want to see more Sears Kit Homes go to this website. You'll be amazed at all the homes in this area that are still recognizable. You might have lived in one, or be living in one today! Or look at this Google image search for Sears Homes, and you'll see loads of pictures.
The image below comes from the Sear Archives. The starred paragraph verifies that our farmhouse was most likely being offered prior to 1909. It's just that it didn't appear in the catalog until the Modern Homes listings until later.
And here's The 53 Farmhouse last summer. Our home has had a few additions and exterior changes inside, and out but you can definitely see that structurally we have this model home. These images give you a good idea of the additions and changes. I'm feeling pretty good about the origins of
The 53 Farmhouse!
Oh and by the way, if you happen to know anything at all about our home we'd love to hear from you!
Leave a comment or contact us. at 419-573-6117.
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