The Mr. Local History Project received a request and we love the idea. We’re going to try to find as many Sears Roebuck houses we can help authenticate in the Somerset Hills and Somerset County, New Jersey. Don’t know what a Sears Roebuck house is? Join us as we begin cataloging Sears Roebuck houses, also known as “kit homes” in the Somerset Hills. If you have a Sears Roebuck home, we’d like to hear from you!
Do you live in a Sears Roebuck house? Drop us a quick note with your information and we’ll see if we can get you added to the map.
Get on the map! If you have a Sears kit house or think you do, get on the New Jersey list. Send in your name.
Sears houses are celebrated and sought out as models of the early 20th century American home, and for good reason. Between 1908 and 1939, Sears sold 70-75,000 houses in 447 different styles all over the country. “From Craftsman to Cape Cods, they offered a custom home at budgets and sizes that could accommodate any size family,” writes Popular Mechanics.
What’s even more extraordinary is that 50% of these were built by the homeowners themselves, usually, as in a barn-raising, with the generous help of family, friends, and neighbors. The other half sold were built professionally. “Often,” writes Messy Nessy, “local builders and carpentry companies purchased homes from Sears to build as model homes and market their services to potential customers.”
Kit homes are growing AGAIN in popularity. Take a look at a few ideas to drop down a prebuilt home quickly and inexpensively. See how they’ve evolved.
Thinking of a backyard “she-shed” or home for the folks? This model is called the “Container Home”.
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Somerville's Historic Advisory Committee has maintained a working list of Sears homes, both confirmed and to be authenticated, since 2000. We have never been able to identify with certainty the Altona aka model C121 and believe it was possibly demolished. I would be curious to know what other homes, besides the 4 listed on your map --all known to us--have been identified. I would also appreciate learning if any more come to light. We are reluctant to list addresses publicly due to privacy concerns.