Author Archives: Rachel Shoemaker

About Rachel Shoemaker

I've been hooked on finding and or identifying mail order homes since 2008. I'm not picky, kit homes from Sears Modern Homes, Aladdin Ready Cut, Gordon Van Tine, Wardway Homes, all of the major companies as well as the popular pattern and plan book homes built from about 1900 and on. Could you be living in one of these homes? Send me an email: searshomes@yahoo.com

A “Dupe” Design From Sears Modern Homes and Lewis Homes

Posted on August 14, 2021 by Rachel Shoemaker

Like I have been telling folks, repeatedly, Sears (and Lewis Homes) got this design from another source and it was NOT THEIR DESIGN. Sears and Lewis “duped” this design to sell bundled materials that we today call “kit homes”. Sears … Continue reading →

Posted in Kit Homes of Oklahoma | Leave a comment

An Ideal Cottage for a Summer Home or a Water Edge Resort, Sears Modern Homes Number 125

Posted on April 6, 2017 by Rachel Shoemaker

Here’s a 1912 bungalow in Abilene Texas. This is an interesting floor plan. Read more about the Sears Modern Homes 125 in this blog! Continue reading →

Posted in Kit Homes Around the Country | Leave a comment

The Harris Brothers M-1023, A Desirable Bungalow.

Posted on March 26, 2017 by Rachel Shoemaker

Here’s a kit home we’ve not seen. And, from a kit home company that we don’t see or hear much about. Harris Brothers. Harris Brothers was located in Chicago, Illinois. From the website of Rebecca Hunter: “In 1892 the company … Continue reading →

The Aladdin Florence

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Rachel Shoemaker

Read about two Aladdin Florence kit homes from the Aladdin Ready Cut Company in Bay City, Michigan. One in Erick Oklahoma and one in New Hampshire. Continue reading →

Posted in Kit Homes Around the Country, Kit Homes of Oklahoma | Tagged Aladdin 1916 Florence, Aladdin 1920 Florence, Aladdin Archives, Aladdin Bay City Michigan, Aladdin Florence, Aladdin Homes, Aladdin Homes Inventory, Aladdin Kit Homes, Aladdin Readi-Cut, Alice Bailey, America's Favorite Homes, American Bungalow, American Foursquare, Authentic Kit Home, Authenticated Aladdin Homes, Authenticated Aladdin Kit Home, Authenticated Sears Home, Bait and Catch, Bungalow, Bungalow Home, Bungalow Plans, California Bungalow, Catalog Home, Catalog House, Cottage Home Plans, Cottage Plans, Craftsman Bungalow, Craftsman Bungalow Plans. Cottage Plans, Craftsman Home, Craftsman Plans, Davenport Preservation Commission, Davenport Scott County Iowa, Do You Live in a Kit Home, Edward Roberts, Elmer Toon, Emma Toon, Follow The Leader, Foursquare Kit Home, Gordon Van Time Inventory of Homes, Gordon Van Tine, Gordon Van Tine Barns, Gordon Van Tine Davenport Iowa, Gordon Van Tine Farm Buildings, Gordon Van Tine Floor Plans, Gordon Van Tine Homes, Gordon Van Tine Inventory of Homes, Gordon Van Tine Not Ready Cut, Gordon van Tine Ready Cut, Gordon Van Tine Sears house, Gordon Van Tine Standard Homes, Gordon Van Tyne, Gordon VanTine, gordonvantine.com, Grover Boyd Toon, Haverhill New Hampshire Kit Home, Horace G Roberts, Houses By Mail, How To Identify a Kit Home, Inventory of Aladdin Homes, Kit Home Erick Oklahoma, Kit Homes Database, Kit Homes in Michigan, Kit House Sears, Leroy Hayden, Mildred Toon Beibel, Mildred Toon. Ray Bailey, Montgomery Ward, Moses Toon, Prefab Homes, Prefab House, Rachel Shoemaker, Rosemary's Bulldog, Ruth L. Toon McCampbell, Ruth Toon, Sears Archives, Sears Catalog, Sears Elmhurst List, Sears Farm House, Sears Foursquare, Sears Home Erick Oklahoma, Sears Homes, Sears Homes Archives, Sears Homes Enthusiasts, Sears House, Sears House Plans, Sears Kit Homes, Sears Magnolia, Sears Modern Homes, Sears Modern Homes Inventory of Homes, Semi-Bungalow, The Gordon Van Tine Company, Tiny House Plans, Victorian House, Victorian Plans, Vintage Blueprints, Vintage Bungalow, Vintage Cottage, Vintage Home Plans, Wardway, Wardway Homes, Woodsville New Hampshire | Leave a comment

The Aladdin Emerald, A 5-Room Cottage Home

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Rachel Shoemaker

Here’s an Aladdin Emerald in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. This tiny gem of a kit home is in need of some TLC. This could be an adorable little cottage home! Continue reading →

Posted in Kit Homes of Oklahoma | Tagged Aladdin Archives, Aladdin Bay City Michigan, Aladdin Emerald, Aladdin Emerald Cottage, Aladdin Emerald Kit House, Aladdin Homes, Aladdin Homes Inventory, Aladdin Kit Homes, Aladdin Readi-Cut, Aladdin Romeo, Aladdin The Romeo, America's Favorite Homes, American Bungalow, American Foursquare, Authentic Kit Home, Authenticated Aladdin Homes, Authenticated Sears Home, Bait and Catch, Bessie Adelia Foote, Bessie Foote, Bessie Hayden, Brighton Michigan, Bungalow, Bungalow Home, Bungalow Plans, California Bungalow, Catalog Home, Catalog House, Cottage Home Plans, Cottage Plans, Craftsman Bungalow, Craftsman Bungalow Plans. Cottage Plans, Craftsman Home, Craftsman Plans, Davenport Preservation Commission, Davenport Scott County Iowa, Do You Live in a Kit Home, Edward Roberts, First Boy Scout Troop in America, Follow The Leader, Foursquare Kit Home, Frank Andrew Foote, Frank Foote, Gordon Van Time Inventory of Homes, Gordon Van Tine, Gordon Van Tine Barns, Gordon Van Tine Davenport Iowa, Gordon Van Tine Farm Buildings, Gordon Van Tine Floor Plans, Gordon Van Tine Homes, Gordon Van Tine Inventory of Homes, Gordon Van Tine Not Ready Cut, Gordon van Tine Ready Cut, Gordon Van Tine Sears house, Gordon Van Tine Standard Homes, Gordon Van Tyne, Gordon VanTine, gordonvantine.com, Grace Foote, Grace Luppy, Horace G Roberts, Houses By Mail, How To Identify a Kit Home, Inventory of Aladdin Homes, Kit Homes Database, Kit Homes in Michigan, Kit House Sears, Leroy Hayden, Montgomery Ward, Osage County Kit House, Osage Historical Society, Pawhauska Oklahoma Kit House, Pawhuska Oklahoma, Pawhuska Osage County, Pawhuska Train Depot, Prefab Homes, Prefab House, Rachel Shoemaker, Ree Drummond, Rosemary's Bulldog, Sears Archives, Sears Catalog, Sears Elmhurst List, Sears Farm House, Sears Foursquare, Sears Homes, Sears Homes Archives, Sears Homes Enthusiasts, Sears House, Sears House Plans, Sears Kit Homes, Sears Magnolia, Sears Modern Homes, Sears Modern Homes Inventory of Homes, The Gordon Van Tine Company, Tiny House Plans, Victorian House, Victorian Plans, Vintage Blueprints, Vintage Bungalow, Vintage Cottage, Vintage Home Plans, Wardway, Wardway Homes | Leave a comment

Sears Modern Home Number 164

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Rachel Shoemaker

The Sears Modern Homes No 164 was offered from 1911-1917. The 1913 catalog tells us this model was built in Miami, Fla. Closter, NJ. Beach Haven NJ. Dunkirk NY. New York, NY. and Rochester, NY.
See two examples in this blog. Continue reading →

Posted in Kit Homes Around the Country | Tagged 2 Taft Pl Dunkirk New York, 2 Taft Pl Dunkirk NY, 2 Taft Pl Dunkirk NY 14048, Aladdin Homes, Aladdin Readi-Cut, America's Favorite Homes, American Bungalow, American Foursquare, Authentic Kit Home, Authenticated Sears Home, Bait and Catch, Barn House, Bungalow, Bungalow Home, Bungalow Plans, California Bungalow, Catalog Home, Catalog House, Craftsman Bungalow, Craftsman Bungalow Plans. Cottage Plans, Craftsman Home, Craftsman Plans, Davenport Preservation Commission, Davenport Scott County Iowa, Do You Live in a Kit Home, Dutch Colonial Home, Dutch Gambrel House, Dutch Gambrel Plans., Early Sears Home, Early Sears House, Edward Roberts, Follow The Leader, Foursquare Kit Home, Gordon Van Time Inventory of Homes, Gordon Van Tine, Gordon Van Tine 129, Gordon Van Tine Barns, Gordon Van Tine Davenport Iowa, Gordon Van Tine Farm Buildings, Gordon Van Tine Floor Plans, Gordon Van Tine Homes, Gordon Van Tine Inventory of Homes, Gordon Van Tine Not Ready Cut, Gordon van Tine Ready Cut, Gordon Van Tine Sears house, Gordon Van Tine Standard Homes, Gordon Van Tyne, Gordon VanTine, gordonvantine.com, Horace G Roberts, Houses By Mail, How To Identify a Kit Home, Kit Homes in Michigan, Kit House Sears, Louis Streitlein, Michigan Kit Homes, Montgomery Ward, New Haven CT, Prefab Homes, Prefab House, Queen Anne Home, Queen Anne Victorian, Rachel Shoemaker, Rosemary's Bulldog, Sears 164, Sears 164 Beach Haven New Jersey, Sears 164 Closter New Jersey, Sears 164 Dunkirk New York, Sears 1908, Sears Archives, Sears Catalog, Sears Colonial Gambrel Roof, Sears Design 164, Sears Elmhurst List, Sears Farm House, Sears Foursquare, Sears Home Closter New Jersey, Sears Home Dunkirk New York, Sears Homes, Sears Homes Enthusiasts, Sears Homes in New Jersey, Sears Homes in New York, Sears Honor Bilt Homes, Sears House, Sears House Beach Haven New Jersey, Sears House Plans, Sears House West Virginia, Sears Kit Homes, Sears Magnolia, Sears Model 164, Sears Modern Homes, Sears Modern Homes 164, Sears Modern Homes Inventory of Homes, Sears Number 164, The Gordon Van Tine Company, Victorian House, Victorian Plans, Vintage Blueprints, Vintage Bungalow, Vintage Cottage, Vintage Home Plans, Vintage Homes, Vintage House Plans, Wardway, Wardway Homes | Leave a comment

Sears Modern Home 64 in West Haven CT.

Posted on March 5, 2017 by Rachel Shoemaker

The Sears Modern Homes number 64 was one of the first models offered by Sears in 1908. I was able to locate one with the help of a testimony from 1911. To see the Sears 1908 Catalog of Modern Homes … Continue reading →

Posted in Kit Homes Around the Country | Tagged Aladdin Homes, Aladdin Readi-Cut, Alma Streitlein, America's Favorite Homes, American Bungalow, American Foursquare, Authentic Kit Home, Authenticated Sears Home, Bait and Catch, Bungalow, Bungalow Home, Bungalow Plans, California Bungalow, Catalog Home, Catalog House, Craftsman Bungalow, Craftsman Bungalow Plans. Cottage Plans, Craftsman Home, Craftsman Plans, Davenport Preservation Commission, Davenport Scott County Iowa, Do You Live in a Kit Home, Early Sears Home, Early Sears House, Edward Roberts, Follow The Leader, Foursquare Kit Home, Gordon Van Time Inventory of Homes, Gordon Van Tine, Gordon Van Tine 129, Gordon Van Tine Barns, Gordon Van Tine Davenport Iowa, Gordon Van Tine Farm Buildings, Gordon Van Tine Floor Plans, Gordon Van Tine Homes, Gordon Van Tine Inventory of Homes, Gordon Van Tine Not Ready Cut, Gordon van Tine Ready Cut, Gordon Van Tine Sears house, Gordon Van Tine Standard Homes, Gordon Van Tyne, Gordon VanTine, gordonvantine.com, Horace G Roberts, Houses By Mail, How To Identify a Kit Home, Kit Homes in Michigan, Kit House Sears, Louis Streitlein, Michigan Kit Homes, Montgomery Ward, New Haven CT, Prefab Homes, Prefab House, Queen Anne Home, Queen Anne Victorian, Rachel Shoemaker, Rosemary's Bulldog, Sears 1908, Sears Archives, Sears Catalog, Sears Elmhurst List, Sears Farm House, Sears Foursquare, Sears Homes, Sears Homes Enthusiasts, Sears House, Sears House CT, Sears House Plans, Sears House West Virginia, Sears Kit Homes, Sears Magnolia, Sears Modern Homes, Sears Modern Homes 64, Sears Modern Homes Inventory of Homes, Sears Number 64, The Gordon Van Tine Company, Victorian House, Victorian Plans, Vintage Blueprints, Vintage Bungalow, Vintage Cottage, Vintage Home Plans, Wardway, Wardway Homes, West Haven CT | Leave a comment

Henry Wilson Number 167 in Nova Scotia

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Rachel Shoemaker

A few months ago I received an email asking for help from someone who was researching her home. She thought it might be a kit home but couldn’t find anything that would match. I was told the house was in … Continue reading →

Posted in Kit Homes Around the Country, Plan Book Houses | Tagged Aladdin Homes, Aladdin Readi-Cut, America's Favorite Homes, American Bungalow, American Foursquare, Authentic Kit Home, Authenticated Sears Home, Bait and Catch, Bungalow, Bungalow Home, Bungalow Plans, California Bungalow, Catalog Home, Catalog House, Craftsman Bungalow, Craftsman Bungalow Plans. Cottage Plans, Craftsman Home, Craftsman Home Nova Scotia, Craftsman Plans, Davenport Preservation Commission, Davenport Scott County Iowa, Do You Live in a Kit Home, Early Sears Home, Edward Roberts, Follow The Leader, Foursquare Kit Home, Gordon Van Time Inventory of Homes, Gordon Van Tine, Gordon Van Tine 129, Gordon Van Tine Barns, Gordon Van Tine Davenport Iowa, Gordon Van Tine Farm Buildings, Gordon Van Tine Floor Plans, Gordon Van Tine Homes, Gordon Van Tine Inventory of Homes, Gordon Van Tine Not Ready Cut, Gordon van Tine Ready Cut, Gordon Van Tine Sears house, Gordon Van Tine Standard Homes, Gordon Van Tyne, Gordon VanTine, gordonvantine.com, Henry L Wilson Bungalow, Henry L Wilson Number 167, Hipped Roof, Hipped Roof with Dormer, Horace G Roberts, Houses By Mail, How To Identify a Kit Home, Kit Homes in Michigan, Kit House Sears, Michigan Kit Homes, Montgomery Ward, Nova Scotia Bungalow, Prefab Homes, Prefab House, Queen Anne Home, Queen Anne Victorian, Rachel Shoemaker, Rosemary's Bulldog, Sears 135, Sears Archives, Sears Catalog, Sears Elmhurst List, Sears Farm House, Sears Foursquare, Sears Homes, Sears Homes Enthusiasts, Sears House, Sears House 101, Sears House Huntington West Virginia, Sears House Michigan, Sears House Plans, Sears House West Virginia, Sears Kit Homes, Sears Magnolia, Sears Modern Homes, Sears Modern Homes 135, Sears Modern Homes Inventory of Homes, The Bungalow Book, The Gordon Van Tine Company, Victorian House, Victorian Plans, Vintage Blueprints, Vintage Bungalow, Vintage Cottage, Vintage Home Plans, Wardway, Wardway Homes | Leave a comment

Sears Modern Home No 135

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Rachel Shoemaker

Using a testimony from 1914 I was able to locate a Sears Modern Home No 135. A quick internet search doesn’t turn up anything on the Sears 135. The Sears Modern Home 135 was offered from late 1908-1915. If you … Continue reading →

Posted in Kit Homes Around the Country | Tagged Aladdin Homes, Aladdin Readi-Cut, America's Favorite Homes, American Bungalow, American Foursquare, Authentic Kit Home, Authenticated Sears Home, Bait and Catch, Brighton Michigan, Bungalow, Bungalow Home, Bungalow Plans, California Bungalow, Catalog Home, Catalog House, Craftsman Bungalow, Craftsman Bungalow Plans. Cottage Plans, Craftsman Home, Craftsman Plans, Davenport Preservation Commission, Davenport Scott County Iowa, Do You Live in a Kit Home, Early Sears Home, Edward Roberts, Follow The Leader, Foursquare Kit Home, Gordon Van Time Inventory of Homes, Gordon Van Tine, Gordon Van Tine 129, Gordon Van Tine Barns, Gordon Van Tine Davenport Iowa, Gordon Van Tine Farm Buildings, Gordon Van Tine Floor Plans, Gordon Van Tine Homes, Gordon Van Tine Inventory of Homes, Gordon Van Tine Not Ready Cut, Gordon van Tine Ready Cut, Gordon Van Tine Sears house, Gordon Van Tine Standard Homes, Gordon Van Tyne, Gordon VanTine, gordonvantine.com, Hipped Roof, Hipped Roof with Dormer, Horace G Roberts, Houses By Mail, How To Identify a Kit Home, Innis, Jay Innis, Kit Homes in Michigan, Kit House Sears, Michigan Kit Homes, Montgomery Ward, Prefab Homes, Prefab House, Queen Anne Home, Queen Anne Victorian, Rachel Shoemaker, Rosemary's Bulldog, Sears 135, Sears Archives, Sears Catalog, Sears Elmhurst List, Sears Farm House, Sears Foursquare, Sears Homes, Sears Homes Enthusiasts, Sears House, Sears House 101, Sears House Huntington West Virginia, Sears House Michigan, Sears House Plans, Sears House West Virginia, Sears Kit Homes, Sears Magnolia, Sears Modern Homes, Sears Modern Homes 135, Sears Modern Homes Inventory of Homes, The Gordon Van Tine Company, Victorian House, Victorian Plans, Vintage Blueprints, Vintage Bungalow, Vintage Cottage, Vintage Home Plans, Wardway, Wardway Homes, Zella Mae | Leave a comment

Aladdin Bungalow, The Romeo

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Rachel Shoemaker

Featuring an Aladdin Bungalow, The Romeo. A homey modern type. Offered by Aladdin 1913-1918 from a borrowed California bungalow design. See this model in San Diego by reading here! Continue reading →