Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

Through my enduring investigation of the catalog homes in Park Ridge, Illinois, I have made a new friend, Gus Zahareas, who takes photographs of houses throughout the community before they are torn down. How neat!! Thank you for sharing Gus!

I am infinitely grateful for these vestiges that reveal only a few of the many long lost treasures of Park Ridge:

1028 Vine Ave.

1028 Vine Ave. (Harris Brother Co. Catalog Home)

Photograph above taken by Gus Zahareas on May 14, 2006 at 2:00 p.m.

915 Hastings Street

Photograph taken above by Gus Zahareas on September 10, 2004 at 3:15 p.m.

Photograph of 915 Hastings Street circa. 1987

Check out this Sears Conway!

510 S. Lincoln Ave.

Another Harris Home Found!

202 Columbia Ave.

More Harris Homes!

445 S. Stewart Ave.

808 S. Washington Ave.

603 S. Chester Ave.

310 N. Elmore St.

Harris Brothers Homes!

In addition to Sears, Harris Brothers Co. (based in Chicago) also manufactured read-to-assemble "kit homes." Harris Brothers Co. published their first mail-order catalog in 1916 and continued to sell catalog homes until 1932.

904 S. Cumberland Ave.

841 S. Fairview Ave.

709 S. Cumberland Ave.

The Concord (Sears)

1408 S. Courtland Ave.

This Sears "Concord" model is really rather neat considering it has an attached garage, presumably for a car during the 1930s! Architecturally, it can be seen as one of the first split-level homes in America.

Where a Sears "Elsmore" Once Stood

125 N. Wisner St. today

A photograph taken of 125 N. Wisner on November 25, 2008 at 3 p.m by Mr. Gus Zahareas.

An out-dated "google maps" street view of 125 N. Wisner St.

Another Sears "Crescent" Found!

405 N. Prospect Ave.

Gordon-Van Tine

Although Sears Roebuck & Co. may be the most well-known producer of mail-order homes, Sears was not the only company in the catalog home business!

Gordon-Van Tine of Davenport, Iowa also manufactured catalog homes. From 1918 to 1931, Gordon-Van Tine manufactured exclusively for Montgomery Wards producing various "Wardway Homes":

1001 Courtland Ave.

222 N. Merrill Street

If you direct your attention to the indented rooflines and the pair of double columns, for example, similarities can be seen between the advertisement for a Gordon-Van Tine's mail-order home illustrated above and a page from Montgomery Ward's 1925 Wardway Home catalog displaying "The Priscilla" below:

"The Stratford" -- Gordon Van Tine 1929

The Kilbourne (Sears)

(From 1923 Sears' Home Catalog)

430 N. Merrill Street

118 S. Chester Ave.

The Oakdale (Sears)

The Oak Park (Sears)

515 S. Crescent Ave. Circa 1957

515 S. Crescent Ave.

The Elmwood (Sears)

233 Lake Ave.

The Crescent (Sears)

1108 W. Prairie Ave. (Sears)

124 N. Clinton St.

124 N. Washington Ave.

816 S. Fairview Ave.

407 N. Wisner St. (2 Story)