A Sears House Built by Montgomery Ward

Bowling Green State University plans to raze a historic house that currently serves as faculty offices. Four university presidents have lived in the house, which was expanded in 1950 to 5,125 square feet. Students and faculty are protesting the proposed demolition.

The house looks very much like a Sears Colchester model, but markings on attic lumber inside the house clearly indicate the house was from Montgomery Ward. Wards did not offer a model that looked like the Colchester.

Photo courtesy of the Toledo Blade.

Sears Colchester.

The most likely possibility is that the buyer contracted Montgomery Ward to build a custom house that looked very similar (if not identical) to the Sears Colchester. 

The house was purchased by a Virgil H. Taylor of Bowling Green. In the April 1930 census, Virgil, who was single, lived with his parents nearby. According to the local newspaper, in August 1930 Virgil was actively courting Virginia Smith who later became his wife. The mortgage for the house was issued in November 1931, but a photo has surfaced from October 1931.

Photo of the house from October 1931, courtesy of Virginia Taylor Combs (Virgil Taylor's daughter).

Virgil was working as the advertising manager for the local newspaper. 

With the demolition scheduled for the end of August, the details behind this home's construction may never be determined. There is an online petition you can sign to support saving the house. Who said you can't fight city hall (or Bowling Green State University)?

Update!
The house was demolished.

Update!
I found firm documentation the house was repossessed by Montgomery Ward in 1936. 

The Top Four Most Popular Sears Homes--Have You Seen These?

Sears issued its Book of Modern Homes catalog from 1908-1940. During those years, 370 different models were offered for sale. However, there were four very popular models that each were offered for more than a decade. These homes might be "hidden in plain sight" in your neighborhood.

Without further ado, we count down the Four Most Popular Sears Homes of All Time!

#4 --The Starlight
The Starlight was offered for 13 years.

Sears Starlight from the 1927 catalog.

Sears Starlight at 1575 Main, Crete. Photo from Realtor site.

 
#3 --The Westly
The Westly was offered for 14 years.

Sears Westly.

Perfect Sears Westly in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Photo courtesy of Heather Lukaszewski.

#2 --The Winona
The Winona was offered for 29 years! This house must have been a big seller for Sears.

Sears Winona from the 1930 catalog.

A Swiss chalet-looking Sears Winona at 1625 Forest in Des Plaines.

#1 --The Argyle
 The chief architect from Sears reported that the top seller for Sears was the Argyle.

206 Highwood Ave., Highwood.

You've just read about the four most popular Sears homes determined by me for the week ending July 21, 2012. Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!

Sears Westly

722 N. Ridge, Arlington Heights

This Sears Westly was likely built in 1926. The Westly was a very popular house for Sears and was offered in their catalogs for many years. It was offered in two floor plans.

The house on Ridge was remodeled inside and out multiple times since the 1970's. There are several clues that the house is a Westly even though the front porch was enclosed and the sleeping porch was removed.

One of the most obvious identifying features of the Westly was the roof line. The front roof is much lower than the back roof.

A perfect match!

Other unique features of the Westly were the first floor den and a fireplace in the dining room. According to a 1961 real estate listing, the house on Ridge has those features.

Floor plan for the Sears Westly.

In March 1927, William Magoon and his family lived in the house, and they may have been the original owners.

Albert and Edward Magoon, the two sons of the family, were known around town as the local hoodlums.

In 1927, when Albert was 18, he and friends broke into a local business and emptied the cash register. The judge sentenced him to mandatory church attendance and six months probation even though the owner of the business declined to press charges. In 1929, Albert broke into a neighbor's house and stole a .45 caliber gun. Ironically, the person who called the police about the break-in was Albert's father, William. Albert pleaded guilty once again to this charge, but the judge said he would not be lenient this time and would give Albert a sentence that would serve as a lesson to other kids in town.

In 1935, Edward Magoon made Chicago headlines when he was indicted for operating a "car stripping ring". He and his cronies stole 16 cars. Edward pleaded guilty and got a year probation, although some of his co-defendants served time.

In summer 1929 the Magoons sold the house to Mr. and Mrs. Homer Whitmore Evans, who had four children. The Evans family must have gone through some hard times in the Depression. They were trying to rent rooms or the garage space in 1930. The house was listed for rent with all the furnishings in 1931. The Evans finally sold the house in April 1933. Homer Evans was an assistant editor for Paddock Publications.