If These Walls Could Talk

Herter House, A House by Mail and Rail

by Agnes-Betty Trimpert

Fulfilling the dream of home ownership with do-it-yourself economy, the kit house idea was born. With a sense of adventure, the prospective homeowner chose a house from a catalogue, placed an order, and then awaited delivery by boxcar to the nearest railway station. Approximately 30,000 pieces (lumber, shingles, doors, windows, hardware, and paint) and 750 lbs. of nails came with blueprints designed for the novice builder. Each piece of the framing was numbered for precise placement, adhering to the 75-100 page manual. Advertised as easy enough for a non-professional carpenter to build, instructions were even given on how to pile the unloaded materials so they would be in rotation order as they were to be used.

Catalogue houses started to be available around 1907 and continued to be popular until 1946. The Gordon Van Tine Co. of Davenport, Iowa sold direct to customers and also through Sears and Montgomery Ward. They had an agreement with the Aladdin Co. to use their mill in North Carolina, to enable them to promote their product coast to coast. Sears promoted that “a man of average abilities could assemble their Sears Kit Home in about 90 days”.

While two-story colonials were among the more than 100 designs offered, the arts and crafts style cottage had the greatest appeal for its “sensible” design and is the most recognized. A fine example of a Van Tine #573 catalogue house is near the corner of Milltown Rd and Rte 39.

The story goes that it was purchased by H.B. Varian in 1928 but not erected until years later when exposure to New Fairfield winters and summers had worn off most of the labels on the individual pieces. To the rescue was local master carpenter, Henry Krooss, who called upon his many years of experience to put the house together. Ms. Fay Buchman, pharmacist and proprietor of “The Woman’s Drug Store” on north Main Street in Danbury was an earlier resident.

It has been home to the Herter family since 1973. Mr. Herter authenticated his home when he was doing some renovations and discovered labels on some of the wood pieces. He also found a gold sealed “Twenty Year Guarantee” certificate for house #573 in his attic. His daughter was able to obtain a copy of an original catalogue which offered the six room bungalow for “comfort and convenience for little money”.

Catalogue homes are revered and sought after. Owners join associations to promote information on them; offer tours; and a New York state group even builds miniature scale models for collectors. As one catalogue home owner says, “every house has a story”.
 

For More Information Contact:

Preserve New Fairfield
P.O. Box 8047, New Fairfield, CT 06812
Tel: 203-746-5569
FAX:
Internet: info@preservenewfairfield.org

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