Sears Castleton

1427 Oakwood Ave., Des Plaines. Photo from Realtor site.

Sears Castleton from the 1914 Sears Modern Homes catalog (pre-1918, the Sears houses had model numbers rather than names). The Castleton came standard with bevel wood siding on the first floor and Stonekote cement plaster on the second floor. 

An angle that matches the catalog illustration. That suspended bay window on the right side is where the staircase landing is.  The Des Plaines house today has brick and stone veneer overlays. 

Screen capture from Google Maps.

Cook County says this Sears Castleton in Des Plaines (identified by author Rebecca Hunter) was built in 1916. It could have been... the Castleton, an American Foursquare, was sold from 1911-1924. Based on the number of years it was for sale, the Castleton must have been a popular model nationally, although it is not super common in Illinois.

The rear view reveals a first floor addition and a new deck. Photo from Realtor site.

The floor plans, as shown in the 1914 Sears Modern Homes catalog.

The front door (not original) leads to a den on the left side and the living room under the colonnade on the right side. Photo from Realtor site. 

Photo from Realtor site.

An original leaded crystal window in the living room. Photo from Realtor site.

This is the teeny den in the front of the house. 7'2" x 7'7"! Photo from Realtor site.

 

Photo from Realtor site.

The original kitchen pantry was removed and the doors reconfigured to accommodate a small addition in the back. Photo from Realtor site.

The landing at the top of the stairs leads to two bedrooms and a closet. Photo from Realtor site.

The rear bedroom, which gives you an idea of the size of the bedrooms in the Castleton. Photo from Realtor site. 

I believe the house was built after 1920.The original owners were likely Harry and Hulda Mensching, who were married in 1923. Hulda's father, Fred Wille, lived in the house next door.

Hulda Mensching, from a public photo on findagrave.com.

Harry was a freight checker for the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. The Menschings owned the house until around 1946.

Do I 100 percent agree with Rebecca Hunter that this house is a Sears Castleton? No, there are some differences (the bay window in the dining room being one obvious difference). The Castleton never came with pre-cut lumber, so the house does not have any stamped wood to authenticate it.   I'll say it likely is one. If you know more about the origins of the house, please email me.