A Sears 124 in Clayton Georgia

About five years ago I started searching for testimonial homes as a way to help me learn all of the models offered by the kit home companies. Two weeks ago I got a new laptop and as I was going through jpeg images I realized that I had so many houses from testimonials that I had located and then there are the little pieces of paper and a spiral with addresses. They are houses all over the country. I hope to share a couple the next few days. Tonight I want to tell you about the Sears 124.

The 124 is not an original Sears design, shocking I know LOL. Let’s start there. The beginning. Let’s first see where the 124 ‘originated’ and then have a look at the real deal!

The design, pattern, for the 124 dates back to at least 1904.

The centerfold in The Ladies Home Journal January 1904. The Ladies Home Journal frequently featured homes built from patterns. I have circled a California bungalow that was built as a Young People’s Tennis Club. You can click on the image to enlarge it.

 

The Ladies Home Journal January 1904

 

January 1904! So, it was likely built in 1903. Folks, that predates Sears homes by four+ years! However, Keith’s Magazine on Home Building offered several patterns in their publication and this pattern as design no 1070.

Keith’s Magazine on Home Building offered several patterns in their publication and this pattern as design no 1070 is one. Look familiar?

 

Another ‘version’ of the same bungalow. I’ve seen a few versions of the bungalow in publications.

 

Keith’s 1070B

 

That brings us to 1908. The Sears no 124 was offered in late 1908. It wasn’t in their first 1908 catalog.  I have the 1908 4th edition and it wasn’t offered yet. My next 1908 is the 7th edition and it appears by then. You can see the Sears 1908 4th edition here.

The Sears Fall 1913 Modern homes catalog mentions a 124 built in Clayton Georgia

 

Courtesy of the Georgia Archives: Clayton, early 1920s. Laurels Falls Hotel with people gathered on the porch. It was started by Rev. C. W. Smith after he came to Clayton in 1915.

 

The Sears 124 from the 1912 Sears merchandise catalog paint section

 

My research shows that Calvin Warren Smith built the Sears 124 in Clayton Georgia in 1912 as a summer home. In 1915 after his business collapsed he and his wife and eight surviving children moved to their summer home in Clayton Georgia. Here they would operate the Laurel Falls Hotel out of the Sears 124. In 1920 Calvin started a summer camp for girls.

I found this 1922 Harper’s Bazaar Advert for Laurel Falls Camp. I also found in a magazine that tuition for the summer camp was $200. That was a lot of money for a couple of months in the early 20’s!

 

In the early 1920’s the Smith’s health started failing and the third youngest of the children returned to help with the camp. Lillian Eugenia Smith was a talented musician and would become a notable author. CW Smith passed away in 1930. Lillian was camp director from 1925 until 1948. Under Lillian’s direction Laurel Falls Camp became known as a highly popular, innovative educational institution. The camp was known for its instruction in the arts, music, dramatics, as well as modern psychology.

This is Woodland Lodge in the 1930’s. I’m waiting to hear back for more information from a descendant that I contacted on ancestry.

 

Fast forward to now. Is the Sears 124 still there? What became of it?

It’s still there but it has had many additions to it. I was able to turn up a few photos to show that.

The Sears 124 operated recently as The English Manor Bed & Breakfast. This photo from the internet during that time shows what detail is left to the exterior.

 

Currently the Sears 124 is operating as a bed and breakfast known as the Hideaway at Laurel Falls. They have a website as well as facebook page. You can see this photo there as well as a few others.    I LOVE that flagstone patio and the fire pit!

 

While looking through their facebook page I spied a Sears Villa Sideboard! I’ve seen this buffet before 🙂

 

This image is from my Sears Building Materials 1912 catalog.

 

You can see that same sideboard in another Sears house in this blog!

Click here to see more Sears 124’s on Rosemary’s awesome blog!

To see another Sears 124 I found click here.

Do you want to learn more about Sears homes? CLICK HERE!

See the facebook page for Hideaway at Laurel Falls here.

And an update from a reader reporting another possible Sears 124 complete with photos! Click photos to see in full resolution.

Thanks to a blog reader who submitted photos to me of a possible Sears 124 in Tillamook Oregon.   Is this a Sears 124?   The assessor shows the square footage as a possibility as well as the year of construction.   The Keith’s 1070 plan B arrangement is also a possibility.  This house looks slightly smaller than the 124 and the square footage could be made up in the back where the kitchen extends.  Really the only way to tell would be an interior inspection.   Sears used quite a few of the California, and west coast in general, bungalow designs in the early years and the 124 was one of them.

Photo credit Kris Larsen, used with permission.

 

Thanks to a blog reader for the heads up on this possible Sears 124. I promptly emailed him and asked him if he could please send photos which he quickly responded with views of both sides!

Photo credit Kris Larsen, used with permission.

 

To see another Sears 124 click here.

 

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.