Originally published by Laraine Shape on September 29, 2014
Well for one thing, the lady behind the deli counter at Lehr’s meat market makes the most delicious turkey sandwich on fat white bread that I’ve ever tasted.
And for another, they have a city wide garage sale there every fall. This year it happens the weekend of October 10th – 12th and according to the official city website, “residents clean the clutter from their attics, drag out treasures from their garages and organize accumulations from their basement in anticipation of the City Wide Yard Sale.”
There are a lot of other great things about Milford but a friend of mine who lives there asked me not to tell you about them. She wants to keep Milford a secret…so I won’t say another word about it…except for the part about all the Sears houses it has. How could you not love a city that has so many Sears houses?
Here they are. There are probably more. And remember, if you happen to go there for lunch or something, don’t tell everybody how great it is.
Two days ago I woke up to a gray, rainy day and the ugly weight of two bogged real estate transactions thanks to an incompetent appraiser, nit picky underwriter, useless mortgage broker and a short sale from Hell. So, in order to get my mind off of things I decided to spend the day looking for Sears houses in the Mariemont, Terrace Park, Newtown and Milford area.
I knew from the Beatrice Lask thesis that there were a couple of Sears houses in Mariemont (a Maywood, a Willard and a Lewiston), but imagine my surprise at finding two more (and possibly four!) all in a row just outside the city limits. How fun! A Kilbourne model, a Crescent model and two suspected Hamilton models all snuggled up on the same street together. Makes me wonder about their history. Was it a builder that built all four? Or maybe a family that owned the parcel of land and wanted to stay close together?
And then there’s Terrace Park, a beautiful enclave of luxurious homes, a horse farm, a country club, a swim club, a prestigious elementary school and very little else. Oh yes…and a pink Victorian house (my favorite color). The landscape doesn’t feature much in the way of business which is just fine with me.
I discovered the eclectic mix of 9 Sears houses in Terrace Park via a historical society newsletter online. Unfortunately, there are only 8 of the 9 left…including a Del Rey model, a Kilbourne model, a Crescent model, a Dover model, a Fullerton model, a Somerset model, and 2 Martha Washington models. The 9th, a Stanford model at 709 Myrtle, is now, tragically, a vacant lot. A real estate FOR SALE sign stands in its stead.
By the way, Terrace Park has a building survey of all houses and buildings past and present. Hats off to the people who accomplished that task.
Just down the road a piece is Milford. Home of Lehr’s Meat Market and the nice deli lady who will make you a turkey and cheese sandwich on white bread with lettuce, tomato and mayo to eat on the fly. Milford is a sweet little city rich with Sears houses. As a matter of fact, there are so many of them in Milford I decided to do a separate post about them. Stay tuned
And last, but not least, is Newtown. The little village across the river from Mariemont. Home to that pretty blue craftsman bungalow I love, a fishery, a soft serve ice cream joint and the Main Street Cafe bleu cheese burger – an absolute MUST try next time you’re over that way. There’s a perfect little Vallonia model on Church Street that’s now serving as a dental lab, another Vallonia on Plum Street, a sweet yellow Oakdale model on Main Street that’s just as cute as it can be and a Sunbeam model also on Plum St.
In spite of the rain, I felt like a kid in a candy store. Next time my friend and Sears house mentor, Cindy Catanzaro, comes to Cincinnati I’m taking her over that way to show her all the eye candy for her Sears Facebook page.
Side view – 8534 Wooster Pike, Mariemont. What do you think?8548 Wooster Pike Mariemont – is this a second Sears Hamilton model? (one of the 4 in a row)8592 Wooster Pike, Mariemont. Sears Crescent model (one of the 4 in a row)
Oh my gosh! Just look at those distinctive 5 piece eave brackets. 210 Harvard Ave., Terrace Park.903 Elm, Terrace Park. Sears Crescent modelThe Sears Crescent – what a beautiful porch entry. 903 Elm, Terrace Park736 Wooster Pike, Terrace Park. Sears Kilbourne model709 Myrtle Ave., Terrace Park. The Sears Stanford model that is no more.
Andrew Mutch- Sept 6, 2014– I don’t think 903 Elm, Terrace Park is a Crescent. The windows and the front porch aren’t a good match. Also, I don’t think those are Hamiltons. Do you know what year they were built? Otherwise, that’s a lot of good looking Sears houses there!
reply– Laraine Shape- Sept 6, 2014- Andrew – Tsk tsk. I dare you to tell the Terrace Park historical society that about 903 Elm. As for the Hamiltons…you could be right about me
being wrong. They were built in 1929 and 1933 (8548). The size and footprints are right. I’m going to correspond with the owners and see if we can get an insight on the interior details.
reply– Andrew Mutch- Sept 9, 2014 -Living in a Hamilton, it’s the one I know well! They key difference is I’ve never seen a Hamilton without the hipped dormer on the
front and the side over the living room window (although I just saw my first Hamilton where someone added a 2nd floor and moved the hipped roof up a story – yikes!). Also, the roof line on the front extends over porch so that it’s enclosed.
As for the Terrace Park house, I would show them that house next to the Mariemont house, which is a good example of the type. I’ve gotten more cautious with the Crescents now that I’ve seen enough clones. In fact, I think I have a couple in the Ann Arbor that I
thought were Crescents but may just be knockoffs.
reply– Laraine Shape- Sept 9, 2014– Thanks for your input Andrew. You definitely know your stuff when it comes to Sears Houses. Cindy speaks very highly of you.
reply-Andrew Mutch- Sept 12, 2014-Thanks! Cindy’s been a wonderful resource in learning the ins and outs of the houses. I’m so glad that you’ve been documenting all of these houses. It’s great to have them as reference when trying to ID houses I find up here in Michigan.
Karrie- Sept 6, 2014– I love the houses on Wooster and every time I pass them I point them out to my husband.. I had no clue they were Sears homes. Very cool. Great blog.
reply-Laraine Shape- Sept 6, 2014– Karrie – thanks! It was a total surprise for me when I saw them. Such fun. I love Sears houses.
Originally published by Laraine Shape on April 23, 2014
Photo from Wikipedia
They were all born there!
Sharonville is not only the glamour model’s birthplace, it’s also where seven Sears kit homes were born, including; two Sears Sunbeam models, a Sears Vallonia model, a rare for Cincinnati Sears Princeville model, a Sears Kilbourne model, and a model that looks like it may be a Sears Westly model.
There’s also supposed to be a Sears 123 model (according to one of the Sears Modern Home Catalogs) but we haven’t been able to find it yet. Hopefully it’s still standing and wasn’t torn down to make way for a fast food joint or gas station! If any of you readers happen to know where this home is, please let me know!
Here’s a look at the Sears models we’ve found in Sharonville.
3761 Creek Rd., Sharonville – Sears Sunbeam model
This home on Creek Rd. is a Sears Sunbeam model and was built in 1915. Sears billed it as “A five room modern bungalow with open air sleeping porch.”
3307 Hageman Ave., Sharonville – Sears Princeville model
Imagine my surprise when I was cruising Sharonville streets looking for the Sears 123 model and saw this unusual gem on Hageman. It’s the Sears Princeville model, originally offered as Modern Home No. 173.
10889 Reading Rd., Sharonville – Sears Fullerton model
And here we have the Sears Fullerton model. This one is currently serving as the home to HomeWell Senior Care. The Sears Modern Homes catalog offering below boasted a price of $2243 on the Fullerton and said “This style of home has become very popular. It adapts itself equally well to city lots or country estates, and in few other styles can you get so much space for such a small outlay of money!”
11121 Spinner Ave., Sharonville. Could this be a Sears Westly model?
Well now, what have we here? Could this be a Sears Roebuck Westly model? Some photos from a recent listing show a few things are off (fireplace is not tucked in to a corner, left side of porch is modified) Hmmm. I’m not 100% sure, but there are enough things correct that I’d be willing to vote for it as a modified Westly. What are your thoughts?
11132 Oak Ave. Sharonville – Sears Elsmore model
This sweet little home on Oak Ave. is the Sears Elsmore model and was built in 1920 with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath. Sears billed this cute, little house as “A popular, inexpensive and graceful bungalow, well lighted and ventilated. Large porch, with bungalow columns and porch rails.” Sadly, much of the original detailing of this home has been wrapped in siding and is no longer visible.
11173 Main St Sharonville – Sears Sunbeam model
Well, how do you like that? Another Sunbeam model. This one is at 11173 Main St. and still has a lot of it’s original building features intact. Amazingly, the siding contractors haven’t gotten their hands on this one yet (and hopefully won’t) so you can still see the distinctive 5 piece knee brackets and original wood siding.
11169 Spinner Ave., Sharonville – Sears Kilbourne model
Ooh la la! A Sears Kilbourne model done in brick – an absolute sweetheart. According to the county auditor, this one was built in 1930. The Kilbourne was billed as “a house that looks as well outside as it is planned inside.” It surely does.
This blog post by Laraine got a few comments from other Sears House lovers. Here they are.
Donna Bakke- That’s funny – I just found that Princeville on Saturday. There’s 3 more Princevilles over towards Pleasant Ridge or Kennedy Heights.
Reply by Laraine- Donna – Wow, really? 3 more? That’s exciting!
Cindy Catanzaro – Love this group of houses! Nice spot on the Fullerton. It has the original pillars! I drove right past that house last time I was in Sharonville, and never looked at it twice. BTW, there is a Cornell model up the hill behind the second Sunbeam. I’ll bet there are more to find! Like that No. 123.
Reply by Laraine- Cindy – Oh that 123 model is driving me berserk! I swear I’ve been up and down EVERY street in Sharonville. Maybe I’ll go over to the Historical Society and see if anybody there has ever seen it.
Cindy Catanzaro – Oh, yes! I think that’s a Westly.
Reply by Laraine – Sure looks like one, doesn’t it?
Follow up to the possible Sears Westly at 11121 Spinner Ave. Yes, it is one. The house was recently documented with a mortgage record, meaning the house kit was financed through Sears Roebuck.
Here’s an image of the Sears #123 that was listed as being built in Sharonville in early Modern Home catalogs. If you spot it, please leave a comment!
Sears Houses in Cincinnati 