The Architects of Sears Homes

No one knows who the architects were for many of the Sears models. I've been compiling a list of the architects and draftsmen I've been able to identify. I will update this list as I uncover more names.  

If you think your house is a Sears house and the building permit has one of these names listed as architect, you might be onto something. However, many permits would list "Sears Roebuck" or "SR" as the architect. 

Blueprints of Sears houses are scarce. And many Sears blueprints list the architect and draftsmen initials, rather than their full names. 

Architects and Draftsmen of Sears Homes

• Alexander H. Bacci 
• William Arthur Bennett 
• L. Cosby Bernard
• David S. Betcone
• George Beihl
• Ernest Braucher
• Z.N.B.
• A.J. Caron
• Howard L. Cheney
• S. Merrill Clement, Jr.
• Leslie L. Deglow
• Randolph Evans
• Harford Fields
• Albert L. Flegel
• M. G.
• John W. Green
• R.S.G.  (Philadelphia area)
• W.G.
• G.B. H.
• H.F.H. 
• H.W.
• Ralph H. Heth
• Andrew F. Hughes
• S.K.
• Norman Kandl
• George Fred Keck (Sears custom home)
• C.J.L.
• Clarence W. Lampe
• Bernard T. Lourim
• R.L.
• D.M. (poss. David Mahaffey?)
• William F. McCaughey
• McMurray & Schmidlin (NJ area)
• Frederick Mertz 
• R.N. 
• George C. Nimmons 
• J.A. Parks
• Spencer W. Phelps (Washington D.C. area)
• Quinn & Christensen
• Saville? Sarille?
• G.S.
• H.S.
• Ray Simms
• Joseph Earl Stith
• R.H.T.
• R.H.H.
• John Van Bergen
• Harry M. Veix
• W.N.L.
• Lewis E Warner
• White & Christie
• Henry Lawrence Wilson
• F.Z. 

A Lost Montgomery Ward Westmont

520 S. Division, Barrington.

Montgomery Ward Westmont.

520 S. Division today.

The Westmont model from Montgomery Wards is a really cute house. Unfortunately, the one in Barrington fell outside the boundaries of the historic district and was unceremoniously demolished in fall 2013.

In this Chicago area, I know of only one other Westmont that is still standing--in Elmhurst.

257 S. Berkley, Elmhurst. Photo courtesy of Google Maps.

Sears Westwood

1433 Glencoe, Highland Park. Photo courtesy of Realtor site.

Sears Westwood, from the 1929 catalog.

This authenticated Sears Westwood was built in 1932. The original owners were James D. and Martha Galloway, and they got a mortgage from Sears for $5800 in March of that year. 

The building permit lists the architect as Norman W. Kandl and the builder as  Riforpiato Construction.

The Westwood in Highland Park is missing the living room fireplace. Fireplaces were optional.

A wintry shot. Photo courtesy of Lisa Temkin.

The exterior looks very similar to the Sears Collingwood model. The Westwood has a brick facade and has different room measurements.

One feature that distinguishes the Westwood from the Collingwood is a subtly angled bump-out in the dining room.

There's the slight angle in the dining room of the Westwood in Highland Park. Photo courtesy of Realtor site.

Arch between the living room and dining room.

The homeowner emailed me about some of the house's original elements: "The hardwood floors are original, the original windows are in the LR and DR, and La Tosca hardware is on the original, wood doors."

A Probable Sears Maplewood

933 N. Patton, Arlington Heights.

Sears Maplewood.

I'm 95% certain this is a Sears Maplewood in the Arlington Park subdivision, despite the fact that the fireplace is on a different wall and the pitch of the front dormer is too high. The house does have an original Sears front door.

The fireplace appears to have been added after construction. The Maplewood came standard with a fireplace in the living room, adjacent to the front door. Perhaps the original owners wanted to save money and eliminate the fireplace (commonly done), and later owners decided to install one, centered on the living room side wall.

The front dormer may have also been enlarged at some point for storage or a larger closet.

The Maplewood was sold only for a few years: 1930-1932. I believe this house was built in late 1932. The first owners, Louis W. Fors and family, moved in the house in March 1933. In 1933, this was the only house on the street, which was then called Center Street. Louis sold commercial trucks.

The Fors family moved out by 1935. The house was rented, and then in 1939 Charles C. Rehfeldt and his wife Kathlyn purchased it. In March 1946, the street name was changed to Patton, after General Patton. The Rehfeldts lived there until 1953.