A Tale of a Sears Oakdale

The Oakdale was a very popular model for Sears Roebuck. Sears said: "The Oakdale is a bungalow home of unusual charm. It is a masterpiece of one of America's best architects."

The Oakdale from the 1928 Sears Modern Homes catalog.

The Oakdale bungalow was sold from 1923 to 1933, and then made a triumphant return from 1936-1938 with a more modern look.

In 1926, Foster Weigel, who lived on Main Street in Barrington, took out a $4,500 mortgage from Sears Roebuck for a brand new Oakdale. He built it next to his house on property he owned. Foster never lived in the Oakdale himself, but sold it to other buyers.

113 Grant St., Barrington, as it looks today. The front porch was raised and has a railing instead of a wall. Photo from Realtor site.

A side view from Google Streetview. Obviously Foster did not buy the living room fireplace, and there is a new addition on the rear.

The rear addition and new walkout deck. Photo from Realtor site.

The Oakdale has an efficient floorplan and a large living room. There are two bedrooms in the rear, and the smaller of the two is only 8'8" wide!

Photo from Realtor site.

Photo from Realtor site.

Photo from Realtor site.

Photo from Realtor site.

Both bedrooms were expanded and now have access to the rear deck. Photo from Realtor site,

Photo from Realtor site.

The Oakdale in Barrington has zoning that permits both a single family residence and also a business. Consequently, around 1995 the house was converted to an office and it remained that way until 2014.

The house in 2014 when it housed a consulting firm. Photo from Realtor site.

The living room and dining room in 2014. Photo from Realtor site.

Luckily the Oakdale was purchased in 2015 and went back to being used as the single-family house that Foster originally built in 1926. The house has come full circle!

A Delightful Sears Bellewood in Geneva

101 Woodlawn St., Geneva. Photo from Realtor site.

The Sears Bellewood from the 1932 Modern Homes catalog.

The Sears Bellewood was an English cottage sold from 1930 until 1933. 

Despite the many differences from the catalog illustration, this house in Geneva is an authenticated Bellewood. The entry vestibule has been widened, most likely to accommodate a coat closet with a tiny window. The front bedroom, which lost a window due to the larger entry, has a double window on the side wall to allow extra light. The living room window in the front is now a triple instead of a double.

Photo from Realtor site.

Finally, the second story has been built out and windows added where possible.

This is the rear of the house showing the modest addition that serves as a family room. Photo from Realtor site.

The living room with the front door to the right. Photo from Realtor site.

The living room connects to the dining room. The stairs were added more recently. Photo from Realtor site.

Photo from Realtor site.

Photo from Realtor site.

The new family room in the rear. Photo from Realtor site.

The front bedroom. Photo from Realtor site.

The rear bedroom. Photo from Realtor site.

Photo from Realtor site.

In the 1990's the attic was converted into a master suite. Photo from Realtor site.

Photo from Realtor site.

Photo from Realtor site.

Harry E. and Evelyn Johnson got a mortgage from Sears Roebuck in December 1929. Harry owned a clothing store in St. Charles.

1954 ad for Harry's store in the Chicago Tribune.

Johnson's Clothing Store went up in flames in 1958. The building was a complete loss.  

I'm unsure whether Harry reopened his store somewhere else. Today there is a small parking lot where the building stood.

The Top Three Articles of 2024

Once again the holiday season is approaching and with it, the end of another year. It's time to reveal our top three most popular articles in 2024 and what you, the readers, enjoyed most. 

1    Why Are So Many People Wrong About Their "Sears" Houses? -- Why do so many people insist their house (or their neighbor's house or their grandma's house) is from Sears when in reality they don't resemble any of the Sears models? I offer some possible reasons.

2    The Houses That Macy's Sold -- We all know about Sears Roebuck houses. But what about Macy's houses? In 1963, Macy's, along with builder All-State Properties, introduced the Leisurama summer homes. And you need to check these out!

3    Old Tyme Sears Modern Homes Advertising, 1930's and 1940's -- Let's take a fun look back at how Sears Roebuck marketed its houses in the 1930's and 1940's.

We invite you to join us in 2025 and see even more Sears homes in Chicagoland. Happy Holidays!

For the Sears house connection to "A Christmas Story", click here!