Sears Avalon

249 N Plum Grove Rd, Palatine.

Sears Avalon, from the 1923 Modern Homes catalog

This simply perfect Sears Avalon was built in 1925. The California-style bungalow and its wraparound porch are unchanged.

The Modern Homes catalog said that "the kitchen is entirely out of sight from the living room and dining room." Funny how that would not be a selling point today.

Herman F. Miller owned an 80-acre farm on Roselle Road and got a lucrative offer for his property by employees of the Cudahy Packing Company who wanted to construct a golf course. So Herman retired from farming in 1925 and built the Sears house in downtown Palatine.

Herman died in 1954 at the age of 77. His wife, Caroline, lived in the house until her death in 1960.

After Caroline's death, the house passed to their son, George, who lived with his family nearby on south Hale Street. He kept the Avalon and rented it for many years. In December 1972, George sold the house to John  M. Sharp.

The Avalon in Palatine was recognized by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency as a historic architectural property. Here is a photo of the house taken during an architectural survey in the early 1970's.