The "Lexington" Model, Downers Grove, Illinois

Sears Catalog Homes

The great American dream has been the owning of a home of your own. Sears Roebuck and Company helped to fulfill this dream for over 100,000 American families by offering for sale 450 different models of built-it-yourself home "kits" between 1908 and 1940. Downers Grove, Illinois, is the site of about 100 of these Sears Roebuck houses.

Originally submitted by: Judy Biggert, Representative (13th District).

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The Local Legacies project provides a "snapshot" of American Culture as it was expressed in spring of 2000. Consequently, it is not being updated with new or revised information with the exception of "Related Website" links.