Radford 553 in Sallisaw, Oklahoma

***UPDATE!***  a reader came across this blog while researching their home and has some interesting information to share about their Radford #553.

Yesterday I drove 80 miles to get my Cherokee Nation car title and tag for my car. Eighty miles? you ask. Who drives 80 miles to get their car tag renewed?  I could have gone someplace much closer, yes. However, I made the drive to Sallisaw which is south and east of Tulsa for another reason. Sallisaw is the county seat for Sequoyah County and they have one of a handful of the Cherokee Nation Tag Offices. I went the extra miles for the adventure! I loaded up my camera and gathered  my documents and set out to see what I could find.

The Cherokee Nation Car Tag is a beautiful tag! I’ve always wanted one but I didn’t live within the boundaries until they were expanded a few months ago.

 

I took a quick drive through the main thoroughfare of town since I have never been to Sallisaw, that I can recall.  On one of the main streets, Wheeler Ave, I found a perfect example of a Radford Design No 553!  I was excited.

William A. Radford had an architectural firm in Chicago, Ill in the early 1900’s.  He published several carpentry books and he was the editor of the trade journal American Builder.  His homes are often mistaken for “Sears” houses.  And, actually the mail order companies did use some of his patterns for their kits in the early years.  I’m just as excited to find a Radford pattern home as I am a mail order kit home!

Radford #553 at 321 S Wheeler Str in Sallisaw, Oklahoma

 

Radford No 553 from 1903 publication.  GW Ashby Architect

 

Isn’t that a beautiful home? I wonder who lived there? I wonder if the current homeowners know what it is?

I happened upon one in New York a few years ago that is across the street from a Sears #118. It’s a real beauty too! This google screen shot is the best I can do.

Radford 553 in New York

 

The #553 from Radford publication 1903

 

The #553 from Radford publication 1903.  That’s quite a house!  I LOVE it!!!

 

I spent some time trying to see what I could find on the house, nothing on the internet. I don’t know who lived there. The census doesn’t list addresses in Sallisaw only Wheeler Road.   The house is not on the 1904 Sanborn Fire Maps but is on the June 1909 Sanborn Maps.

June 1909 Sanborn Map shows the house as the second house from Ida Av and Wheeler. BTW, that corner house was gone by 1914.

 

Upon close review of the Sanborn Maps I saw something I’ve never seen before, the house was notated as (from plans)!  I looked at the entire town of Sallisaw and this was the only house with this note.

June 1909 Sanborn Map shows the house was built from plans!

 

If you travel I40 through east Oklahoma take a drive through Sallisaw and you will find this beautiful home just a couple of miles north of I40  on the west side of Wheeler Ave.

 

A Radford 553 in New York. It’s beautiful as well. Notice they also have concrete statues at the steps? LOL

 

Fortunately it was on the corner so I could get a good shot of the side and back. This is the south side of the house and faces Ida Ave.

 

Here you can see the north side of the house. A perfect match on every side of the house!

 

I enjoyed my adventure to Sallisaw and love my new Cherokee tag.

Do you know of another Radford #553? If so send it to me at searshomes@yahoo.com and I will post it here. Do you know of a Sears house or another mail order house? I can be reached here by comment, at that email address or on facebook Check my photos out on Flickr or Pinterest

***UPDATE!***

Dear Rachel,
I stumbled upon your blog today as I was searching for information  on Radford Homes.  Two years ago we purchased for $500 at auction a    2 1/2 story, 1904 farmhouse and moved it 60 miles to a small parcel  of land we had purchased near Lake Park, MN.  There is a nearly  identical house on the main street of Wadena, MN (the city we  currently reside in), so that led us to believe that the house plans    for those houses were in one of the popular plan books of the time.     A few weeks ago, while my son was looking for treasures in the  attic, we found the original Radford American Homes Specifications  booklet for our house, #553!  We were so excited to finally know    what plan it was, and to be able to look up the original floor  plan.  Our house was built with only a back staircase – no pretty   open stairway near the front door – in order to turn the what was  supposed to be the front hall into a bedroom.  Our house was also  built without the second story balcony over the porch, and instead  of a bump-out on the back, there used to be a bump-out on the side  of our house.

Our farmhouse was in the same family for over 100 years;  we are the    first non-related owners.  I have been told that one of the former    owner’s relatives has the original blueprints and am hoping to    convince them to hand them over.  We are considering adding a front  staircase and it sure would help to have the original plans!

Our house move was filmed for an episode of HGTV-Canada’s “Massive    Moves.”  Here is a link if you would like to watch it:  http://www.moepipeorgan.com/house.mp4

The video takes a few minutes to load and is best viewed in a window  less than full-screen.

Thanks for sharing your discoveries on your blog!  It was really  neat to see other versions / color schemes of our house.  Our house  was originally painted rusty red but at some point it was painted  all white and the porch was enclosed.  I would like to put some  color back on it, and we are planning to rebuild the porch this  summer.  I have attached a few photos for you.  You are welcome to  use them on your site if you like.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Moe
Wadena, MN

Thanks to Suzanne for providing the following photos of  TWO Radford #553’s!

Our Farmhouse original location – near Georgetown, MN (20 minutes north of Moorhead)

A vintage photo of the original farmhouse a Radford #553!

This is GREAT! Who says you can’t move a 100 year old house 60 miles?

And there she sits in all her glory. A 100 year old Radford #553 made the 60 mile journey to her new location.

And on Main Street in Wadena, MN is ANOTHER Radford #553!

Another Radford #553 at 703 Jefferson Street in Wadena, MN

Isn’t that fun? I am so happy that Suzanne found my blog. To my knowledge it is the only information that shows up on an internet search for the Radford #553.

Thanks so much for sharing two more wonderful Radford homes with everyone!   I love Radford’s designs and this is one of my favorites.

Make sure you watch the video of their house being moved.  It takes a few minutes to load but it is just AWESOME!

Looks like it made the news as well!

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