The Sears #118, A VERY Popular Early Sears Modern Home

In all of my searching of Sears houses one of the most popular early models I have found is the number 118.  About two years ago I started reading through all of the Sears general merchandise catalogs.  I became very familiar with the millwork and homes.  How many people do you know that have read through all of the Sears merchandise catalogs?  Most I should say, all from 1900-1945 and here and there for other years.  When my collection of 118’s reached about eight I thought to myself this was a popular model for early Sears because they all dated between 1908 and 1911!

I’m not surprised that it was so popular, it was featured in the Sears merchandise catalog in Fall of 1908!

The Sears #118 was one of 40 modern home plans offered by Sears in 1908. Did this center feature make it popular?  Catalog page from Fall 1908 general merchandise.
Click image to enlarge.

 

Since May of 2012 I have located FOURTEEN of the Sears #118’s! And, I haven’t really looked that hard, I used a few testimonials  but several I have just stumbled upon and recognized them.

In May of 2012 “Addie Hoyt” posted a blog inquiring if a testimonial house in Terrell Texas was still standing. I took on the task and found it within a few minutes, easy. Little secret I have, when looking for kit homes at random start with the railroad tracks, a water tower and or a grain elevator and work your way out 🙂

 

See the water tower? I was serious! I found this Sears 118  in a matter of minutes.
501 9th Str Terrell Tx

 

I did a lot of research on Jocephus Autrey and his family that morning. I created a tree for him on ancestry.com and I still get updates for him once and awhile.   I used to create family trees for homeowners of kit homes and that became too time consuming.   The locals  now call this house the Felder House.

I soon discovered another Sears #118 in Fishkill, NY at 885 New York 82, Hopewell Junction.

 

While perusing real estate listings I found really pretty Sears 118  at 240 Blue Heron Lane in Matthews, Va

 

Image courtesy of Realtor.com This house has several interior photos which I will share at the end.

 

And courtesy of another real estate ad I was able to find this Sears #118 at 4031 War Creek Road in Thorn Hill, TN

Here is something you don’t see very often in a real estate ad!   Sears #118 at 4031 War Creek Road in Thorn Hill, TN

 

How cool is that?

 

In Bayfield Colorado on their Historical Walking Tour is the home of Dr EW Newland’s Sears 118. The house is at 1543 Hwy #160 in Bayfield, CO.

 

I would love to have a few good photos of this house!

 

Using this testimony I was able to find yet another Sears #118. However, it wasn’t easy! Charles Dahms lived on a farm so I had to find the land plat and with the help of Mark Hardin we soon located this very rural home.

 

Thanks to the Scott County Assessor we can get a glimpse of the side of this Sears #118 located at 4910 296Th St in Dixon Ia,

 

From the assessor records, another beautiful Sears #118 at 105 3rd Street NE in Mitchelville, IA

 

While looking through one of my favorite blogs about old houses I discovered and unknown Sears #118 at 200 E 1st North St in Mount Olive IL! After several emails and even phone calls I’m not sure I had the realtor convinced, I know she was surprised.

 

I am hoping that when Rosemary Thornton made a special trip to get photos of the gorgeous interior that she was convinced 🙂 This house has a lot of potential. They show a 1903 date but I’m thinking 1908 or 1909. I was able to identify a lot of the millwork and hardware but not the art glass and a few other things. I wish the best for this beauty! It is one of my favorite finds. Please take a few minutes to see the interior on Rosemary’s blog!
This Sears #118 is located at 200 E 1st North St in Mount Olive IL.

 

 

 

This Sears 118 was a happy accident, I happened upon it in an image search for something completely different!   That happens sometimes.  The thumbnail popped up and I’m like whoa, a Sears 118! Upon investigation all I could find out was that it is in Mexico. Mexico, Mo that is. LOL      I am hoping that someone will see this and send me a message with more information!
I tell people that I find houses in some of the strangest ways, I’m NOT kidding.

 

And very recently, last month or so, I stumbled on this lovely Sears #118 at 413 N Price St in Sweetwater, TN. It is currently on the market. They say 1908 and I think that is quite possible! I have found other Sears houses built in 1908 and could verify that.

 

Let’s see, I think we have four more left! I hope you are still with me. These houses are too pretty not to share.  And remember, it took me almost two years to gather them all up.

In 1910 Anton Korger built a Sears #118 in Eau Claire Wisconsin. He even sent a letter to Sears. Thanks to this testimony and some digging I was able to find his house.

 

It’s a little difficult to see through the landscaping. Maybe someone in Eau Claire will read my blog and send me better photos! Anton’s Sears 118 is at 1403 Omaha St in Eau Claire, Wis. Anton and his brother Henry owned a tailor shop, Korger Bros at 100 N. Barstow. Henry lived next door to Anton. What a great discovery!

 

If you need a place to stay in Lennox, SD I recommend this lovely Sears #118 that is also a bed and breakfast! The Steever House Bed and Breakfast in Lennox is absolutely gorgeous! Tell them I sent you. Oddly enough, another bed and breakfast told me about this house possibly being a Sears #118. A shout out to a gorgeous Sears Alhambra, The Triangle Ranch, for the tip.

 

Here is an updated photo of the Steever House Bed and Breakfast which is also a Sears #118

 

This Sears #118 was built in 1909 and is located at 1006 N Main Str Poplar, Mo. Any chance a reader out there can send me a few photos?

 

The Sears #118 from my 1908 4th edition Sears Modern Homes.  Click image to enlarge.

 

This Sears #118 is a very rural farmhouse and the best I can do is a view from my Bing airplane! Hey, I find them that way too, I found a Sears Magnolia in my Bing airplane 🙂
This large farm is located at 48779 290th Ave in Rolfe, IA. Who can run out to Shimkort Farms and get photos for me? 😀
BTW, this one took a little work.

 

Lo and behold, I was looking in the Pocahantas County WV assessor files and NOT the Pocahontas County in IOWA assessor files! Here is a photo, not the best, from the county assessor files.

 

This Sears #118 is in Cherokee, Oklahoma and was built between 1915 and 1920 per the Sanborn Maps. I would say closer to 1915. Per the US Census reports , Draft Registration cards, and the the Sanborn Maps I found the first owner to be attorney Alanson Robert Carpenter (B Jan 11, 1879 D Apr 22 1953) and his wife Ollie Leotte. They were originally from Ohio. They lived here through the 1940 census at least.

 

FOURTEEN Sears #118’s, that’s quite a few! See why I believe it was a popular early model? I’m looking for number fifteen. I would love for it to be here in Oklahoma! I have a few more on my radar but they aren’t in my backyard like the awesome Hollywood is!  It is quite possible that there is one here in Oklahoma given that these fourteen are pretty spread out.

I have found several, close to 30 and, yes, I found one in Oklahoma while google driving.

But, I’m not the only one who has found a Sears #118! Oh, yeah, there are more! Rosemary Thornton has found a couple too!   There is one in Alton, Ill.  And in Westfield, Ill.  And this Sears #118 is in Fort Wayne, Indiana.   Flickr is another good source to find kit homes. I stumbled on another Sears Modern Homes #118 tonight, Sept 5, 2015.

I have interior photos of some these homes that I have matched up with images from my building and materials catalogs. I think you will enjoy seeing all of the similarities from house to house. I’m going to take a “blog break” for some lunch and let’s hope I don’t stumble on another Sears #118!  I’ll be back after while with more to share.

Tulsa Oklahoma Houses by Mail, Sears Homes, Wardway, Aladdin and more

Oklahoma Houses By Mail by Rachel Shoemaker is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.