In one of Sears’ old promotional posters for Modern Homes, a testimonial caught my eye. A man named A. Brewer from Park Ridge wrote that he saved about $1,500 by buying his house from Sears. That’s more than $27,000 in today’s dollars!
Even better, Brewer
included a photo of his house — a Sears Kilbourne.
| I have never seen those diamond sash windows on another Sears house. Scan courtesy of Andrew Mutch. |
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| Sears Kilbourne from the 1923 Modern Homes catalog. |
The Kilbourne has a steep roof slope on the gable over the front porch. The gable is supported by wood posts on brick piers and has exposed roof rafter tails. Sears confidently declared that "The Kilbourne bungalow satisfies every family that has built it." And looking at Brewer’s house today, it’s easy to see why.
The home was built around 1920 or early 1921 for Alfred and Flora Brewer. Alfred owned a shoe shop. They had moved elsewhere in Park Ridge by 1929.
3 comments:
This is really a cool looking house, this Kilbourne. I hadn't really seen it before Andrew and you posted a few photos in the FB group. I'd love to see a nice one like this one, in person.
My New Jersey house seems to be a reverse Kilbourne, but with the diamond windows. You can see it here: https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/q83/p960x960/13087171_10153450571556922_7838041559482637682_o.jpg
Hi, Lynn! I don't believe that you have a Kilbourne. The dormer placement is off, the front projection is not the right height, the windows are off. I bet a local builder just used the Sears model as an inspiration. :) Your house is lovely!
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