Sears Verona in Oak Park

H.F. Meacham of Oak Park sent a letter to Sears Roebuck describing his experience buying an Honor Bilt home and how much money he saved by doing so.

Testimonial letter by H.F. Meacham of Oak Park, Illinois. Scan courtesy of Andrew Mutch.

Meacham included a photo with his letter. Meacham did not live in this house; his brother lived in the Sears Preston shown. Meacham lived in the Dutch Colonial next door.

Photo of "The Preston" that Meacham sent into Sears. Meacham actually lived in the house next door, marked with the arrow. Scan courtesy of Andrew Mutch.

H.F. Meacham's house at 906 Fair Oaks, Oak Park.

The Sears Verona.

The Sears Verona is a Modern Dutch Revival that Sears sold from 1918 to 1928. The early Veronas had a bay window on the second floor. 

The Verona's floor plan is traditional, with a formal reception hall, large rooms, and bay windows. Sears said in its catalog that the Verona was "built many times in exclusive suburbs of New York, Chicago, Washington, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and other large cities. This proves it is no experiment."

The architect of the Sears Verona was Nimmons & Co.

The Verona in Oak Park was built in 1921 at a cost of $9,000. Dr. Hubert F. Meacham and his brother—and neighbor—Dr. William C. Meacham were both physicians. They served as team physicians for the Chicago Cardinals football team, the Chicago Blackhawks, and Hawthorne and Sportsman's Park race tracks.

Dr. Hubert Meacham and his wife Genevieve sold the Verona in 1938 to a Dr. Palmer Good.