Villa Park Historical Society - MUSEUM

Villa Park Historical Society Museum

Gift Shop
Inside the
Museum

A BRIEF HISTORY

Sears sold ready cut building materials from 1908 - 1940.
First Catalog “Book Of Modern Homes & Building Plans” had 22 homes costing from $650 to $2500.

All Sears building kits came from a Norwood, Ohio lumber yard. They were delivered by B&O R.R. to Chicago and either Chicago Great Western or Illinois Central R.R. to Villa Park. The average number of pieces was 30,000. Sears claimed that it would give $100 to anyone finding a knot larger than a dime. They also claimed that no saw was needed, but that was untrue.

Almost everything was included: paint for inside, several coats for outside, hardware, shingles, medicine case, cupboards, ironing boards, breakfast alcove, china closet, and windows.

Not included were foundation blocks, bricks for chimney, or stone decorations..

Sears sold 30,000 houses in 1925 & 50,000 in 1930.

Banks were making a good profit until Sears did their own mortgages between 1918 - 1933. Sears later lost $11,000,000 in outstanding loans in 1934 because of the depression.

The only real competition was Wards which sold about 1/10 that of Sears and Aladin homes which was the first and lasted til 1956.

CLICK ON IMAGES TO MAKE LARGER !

CLICK ON IMAGES TO MAKE LARGER !

DO YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAVE A SEARS HOME ?
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO RESEARCH YOUR HOUSE AND FIND OUT ?

CLICK HERE !