The Stickney Craftsman/Bungalow - Wm P. Smith Home.
After seeing that our grandfather had purchased a Craftsman home, I wondered if we could figure out how they selected that particular model home.
The question was answered by the National Register of Historical Houses" - Keith Architect Services. But what I didn't know was that Keith was a magazine publisher, almost the same genre as Better Homes & Garden. On your right are two pages from this magazine, one showing a home similar to the William P. Smith home in Stickney. You can almost imagine Will and Mary paging through this magazine choosing a model home just right for them.
But why the bungalow? . They were commonly erected by middle income owners, and they were inexpensive to build and efficient in design and layout. Plans were available through numerous sources, like Keith's magazine, The Craftsman, and other periodicals. "Bungalow books" were also distributed by dozens of house plan companies including Sears, Roebuck & Company and Montgomery Wards. Popular "kit" homes offered "do-it-yourself" owners/builders all of the materials and fixtures needed to build their home.".
The subscription also allowed the magazine subscriber to obtain home designs for a minimal price. See ad in the top left corner.
Click to Enlarge. See Wm P Smith Home
This model is similar to the model built by the Stickney Smiths, although this particular design was a later variation of the one they bought.
Click to Enlarge. See Bill & Mary wedding.
These two pages come from the Sears & Roebuck collection 1910-1912. While the Smiths did not purchase their Craftsman from this retailer, these pages give you an idea of the cost of materials for similar homes.
Click to Enlarge.
