House History Mysteries
Over the weekend, I was "popping" some original trim on the second floor. ("Popping" is the term we use for "gently removing". We need to remove it so we can put some walls back. And the trim goes on top of the new walls...so....)
I found this stamp on the back of a piece of trim used to frame the top of a doorway.
It says "8808 2/6th Door." Other pieces of door trim are stamped with this mysterious number...8808.
Downstairs in the basement, we found the bookcases which used to flank the fireplace. (When the fireplace existed.)
The note on the side of the wood was created with a grease pencil or very large carpenter's pencil instead of a stamp: 8813 Bldg 6
I believe that I can decipher that Building 6 clue. There are 8 Craftsman stucco bungalows on our block surrounded by Chicago-style bungalows. I managed to talk my way into a few of these over the past year and a half. The floor plans are the same, although some are "reversed". Because of them, I've been able to see what my molding USED to look like, or what the kitchen might have looked like.
If you count each Craftsman bungalow on the block, beginning at the lowest address number and you work your way up the block to our house? We are Building Number 6.
I don't know if any kit house builders offered an "8800" series of houses OR if a local trim manufacturer created trim pieces for house builders that had different numbers assigned.
I've searched through Sears Kit House Catalogs and have seen some Aladdin catalogs...nothing. Though our first floor bathroom originally had the blue and white hexagon tile that was known as a Sears Home trademark (?)
I've seen a few Gordon Van Tine houses. We've never seen any Harris Chicago, Montgomery Ward, Ready Built, Sterling, Lewis or Robinson catalogs though. And I'm struggling to uncover when these companies began to offer kit homes. Because that might narrow down my search.
It gets more confusing because there were companies and lumberyards which offered trim pieces through separate catalogs as well.
So, I don't know where the design for our house came from. This group of houses was built in 1914. That's all we know.
It's still a mystery. A frustrating mystery. I want these clues to lead somewhere...
(7)
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Comments
Having lived in a Sears house for the past 3 years and studied as much as I can about them, I can tell you a few things: First, you are right that your house seems to definitely not be a Sears home. I have found no Sears plan that even remotely looks like your house. (And the tile is NOT a Sears house trademark, by the way. That is a widespread misconception. No Sears home came supplied with tile. If you wanted it, you had to buy it seperatley. So someone may have bought the tile from Sears for a non-Sears home. Or from anywhere.) Most of the other companies started around the same time. I don't have exact dates,though. Based on the numbering and identical houses in your neighborhood, I would say you have a kit home. The one thing I could suggest to find out a little info about the other companies would be to contact the "Sears Lady", Rose Thornton - thorntonrose@hotmail.com, she is the current expert on these matters and might be able to answer your questions. (Have patience, though, she is a busy lady and sometimes takes a while to reply.) P.S. We are looking at buying a Harris Bros. 1930 brick bungalow, and I have found NOTHING about Harris Bros. w/ which to research. If you find anything, send it my way! : ) Good Luck!
Posted by: Marie | January 17, 2005 10:28 PM
Oh, by the way, the model number "8800" is completely possible. Sear's numbering system seems to have made no logical sense whatsoever. And the Harris Bros. we're looking at is model H1000. Most #'s were pretty much pulled out of the air, or at least that's how it seems.
Posted by: Marie | January 17, 2005 10:33 PM
What a coincidence that you posted about this subject today. Last night I dreamed that I began pulling off the wallpaper in the bathroom (in reality, there is no wallpaper in our house), and it came off in big, thick pieces. On the back, someone had written their name and the date - the year was 1956.
I wish we could find clues like that in real life, but we've found nothing in the way of numbers or names. Though we did find someone's fingerprints on the rafters in the attic.
Posted by: Kristin | January 18, 2005 9:21 AM
perhaps the number refers to a plat book. identifiing your house before it had an address.
only about half the houses i work on have addresses.
Posted by: Brian | January 19, 2005 8:19 AM
If each piece of trim is stamped with 8808 and another number or character then it is definitely a kit home. If only a few random pieces have the 8808 stamp then I think it is possible that the numbering refers to a lot number from the lumber company.
Cheers,
Tim
Posted by: Tim C. | January 19, 2005 12:06 PM
We have lived in our bungalow for just over a year..We were wondering the history of our home...Are their any suggestions on how and where to start???
Posted by: Keith and Emily | January 22, 2005 5:54 PM
I found my own interesting history while doing my tirm as well. Pulling of a piece of trim I found this http://ayers.smugmug.com/photos/10527116-L.jpg on the back. It say's "United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America". and refers to the Sacramento (Sacto) hall. I don't know when the union stopped doing finsish work in the area but this piece is original to the house (1912)
Diane
Posted by: Sacto Diane | January 22, 2005 7:34 PM