Product Description

Sears offered more than 370 designs of kit homes from 1908 -1940, but nationally known Sears house expert Rosemary Thornton has discovered that Sears had 60 best selling designs.

In this new book she writes, "If you learn how to identify these 60 designs, you'll discover about 90% of the Sears homes in your community."

Finding the Houses That Sears Built contains more than 190 graphics and photos, as well as comprehensive, detailed and fascinating information on how to identify these 60 best selling designs.

Each housing style is given two full pages in this 8.5 x 11 inch book. One page shows the house as it originally appeared in the Sears Modern Homes catalog (with house details and floor plans). An opposing page has two high-quality photos of existing Sears homes.

In preparing to write this captivating book, Rose photographed more than 1500 Sears homes in 11 states. Finding The Houses That Sears Built represents more than five years of intensive research, documentation, travel and study.

Finding The Houses That Sears Built includes:

- 60 catalog pictures, reprinted from original Sears Modern Homes catalogs
- More than 100 contemporary photos of Sears Homes (approximately two pictures per housing style)
- 100-word captions, explaining what to look for when studying Sears Homes in the field
- Additional tips and techniques for finding the Sears Homes in your community
- A listing of the next 35 most popular designs
- A user-friendly format, cross referenced and thoughtfully organized
- And the Top 10 and Top 20 best selling Sears homes are specifically identified and highlighted

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #267964 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 148 pages

About the Author
Since the publication of Rosemary's first book (The Houses That Sears Built), she has appeared on PBS's History Detectives, CBS's Sunday Morning News, A&E's Biography and WGN News. In addition, Rose and her book have been featured in the Christian Science Monitor, The New York Times, L. A. Times, Dallas Morning News, The Washington Post, Old House Journal and about 100 other publications. Her other titles include California's Kit Homes (co-authored with Dale Patrick Wolicki) and The Reality of Real Estate. In the last two years, Rose has traveled throughout the country and given more than 200 lectures on her favorite topic: Kit Homes.

Customer Reviews

Finding the Houses that Sears Built
With such a growing interest in identifying and preserving Sears kit homes, Rosemary Thornton is an invaluable resource for satisfying this curiosity. Her latest book, "Finding the Houses that Sears Built" (Gentle Beam Publications) has comical stories of her constant quest in this search and a handy chart to categorize by housing style. The best treasure of all, however, is the current photos of the 60 most popular designs side by side with the original catalog advertisements for that style. It is incredible to see the comparisons of the original plan and what they look like currently. Good job, Rosemary.

INTERESTING, EDUCATIONAL, A GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR LIBRARY
I own and recommend this book, as well as, "The Houses That Sears Built" by Rosemary Thornton. Both books are filled with the author's passion for Sears homes and their historical value. It is rare that you can read and feel someone's passion through their words, at the same time, learn so much and be able to contact her with questions, and receive energetic responses!!! Rose has been a great inspiration for me to move forward on my attempt to regain my old Sears home - now with a wealth of knowledge of the special gem that this home is, I am prepared to join the fight to preserve these wonderful timepieces. Thanks Rose!

This book is the absolute test of reality.
My uncle once lived next door to The Walton. I spotted The Walton by the "oversized front porch and its roof, which extends beyond the home's side wall and it is a slightly different pitch than the main roof." I have also spotted The Magnolia while gazing out my driver's side window with my neck bent sideways in order to see the entire front porch. My favorite Sears home is Model #108, a lost Sears home, and FINDING THE HOUSES THAT SEARS BUILT supplemented my curiosity for Model #108 and the reality of American neighborhoods.
After reading THE HOUSES THAT SEARS BUILT, I came down with sears-rosis, and I tried to find Model #108 while dealing with neighbors, home owners, vehicle parking, and a lonely Thanksgiving. Then, I read the latter FINDING THE HOUSES THAT SEARS BUILT, and the book instructs Sears homes enthusiasts on these issues, including coping with Thanksgiving, and more issues such as legal photography, safety precautions, and authentication. Furthermore, this field guide identifes clipped gables and describes dormers that have gables within hipped roofs. In addition, the book trains the reader's eye in fenestration. Now I can find Sears homes easily and safely.
Like Rosemary Thornton, I am a sesquipedalianist. Thornton uses her idiosyncratic hobby and expertise in Sears homes to write about real history. While doing so, she restores a new historic district underway.