In southeast Connecticut and other near-railroad towns across the U.S., craftsman-style “Sears homes” began to form communities in the early 1900s. Broker-Owner Matt St. Amour of Making Connections Realty shares their origin story:

“Every now and then, you might come across a listing that proudly declares the home as a ‘Sears catalog home.’ What’s fascinating about these homes is that—back in the day—Sears Roebuck & Co. would ship an entire house to you by railroad car. Imagine this: friends and family from near and far would gather to assist the new homeowner in assembling their new abode. Between 1908 and 1940, Sears sold an astonishing 70,000 mail-order homes. Remarkably, an estimated 70% of these Sears houses still stand today. Sears didn’t just stop at shipping the materials; they provided detailed building plans and specifications. From nails, screws, and paint to prebuilt building components, like staircases and dining nooks, the Sears package had it all.”

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Matt St. Amour, Broker-Owner

Making Connections Realty

Mobile: (860) 803-4061

mattst.amour@gmail.com