A Midwest neighborhood built entirely of Sears old “kit houses” is still standing today
A distinct kind of retail marvel was experienced by Americans long before the age of internet shopping and next-day delivery.
There was a time when enormous catalogs selling everything from tools to home products were staples in every household.
Sears Roebuck introduced a new era to house shopping in the early 20th century.
People would wait impatiently for their new house after sending Sears hundreds of dollars.
Envision the thrill felt by the new homeowners when a train carrying 12,000 house parts arrived, all ready to be assembled.
An entire neighborhood of more than 150 houses purchased from Sears catalogs sits in Carlinville, Illinois, serving as a singular monument to that time.
As a collection of houses, they serve as a museum showcasing the inventiveness and history of the United States.
One of these houses is owned by Ben and Mary, who are retired teachers.
In 1962, they paid $6,500 for their Sears house.
Their 63rd wedding anniversary was held in the same house, which still stands as proudly and powerfully as the day it was built.
Originally built as a community for coal workers, Carlinville eventually became a major Sears home market.
A housing crisis prompted an oil firm to buy multiple of these prefabricated houses for their employees.
A 75-page manual, hundreds of pounds of nails, and 12,000 individual pieces were included with each.
Because of the rich history and picturesque exteriors of these Sears houses, Carlinville is now a popular tourist destination.
Traversing the area is like taking a trip down memory lane, as you see the physical remnants of what was once dubbed “The American Dream in a kit.”
