Standard Addition: Sears Homes

Beginning in 1917, Carlinville saw its population grow by one-third when Standard Oil of Indiana opened two new coal mines, causing a housing shortage. The solution to the housing crisis was found in an unlikely place: Sears and Roebuck.

For the first time, people could order home kits in a variety of models through the Sears mail-order catalog. Eight different models were selected for Standard Addition, and by the end of 1918, one hundred and fifty-six of the mail-order homes had been placed within a nine-block neighborhood on the northeast side of town.

As the largest single repository of Sears Homes in the United States, Standard Addition has been the subject of several documentaries. It has attracted the attention of architects and nostalgia buffs from around the globe. Boundaries: East to West – University Street to High Street. North to South – Whitley Steet to Burton Street.