In the early 1900s, before the era of online shopping, Sears Roebuck revolutionized home buying. Families could order entire houses from catalogs, a process simpler than today’s online clicks. A special neighborhood in Carlinville, Illinois, showcases over 150 Sears catalog homes, preserving American history.
Picture the anticipation as 12,000 house pieces arrived by train, ready for assembly. This innovative approach allowed families to buy affordable homes, changing the landscape of American living.
One couple, Ben and Mary, purchased their Sears home in 1962 for $6,500. Their enduring house, now a testament to clever thinking and American history, hosted their 63rd wedding anniversary celebration. The neighborhood stands as a living museum, depicting a bygone era when ordering a house was as straightforward as ordering from a catalog.
