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Champaign County Preservation Alliance to Present Program on America's Mail-Order Kit Homes
The Champaign County Preservation Alliance invites the public to a fascinating evening exploring one of America's most influential housing movements when it presents "From Aladdin to Sears: The Story of America's Mail-Order Kit Homes" on Thursday, July 16, at 7:00 p.m. at the Urbana Episcopal Church, 230 Scioto Street, Urbana. The free program will be presented by Ron Campbell, Principal Planner and Preservation Architect with Oakland County Planning and Economic Development in Michigan. Campbell provides design and technical assistance to Oakland County's 30 Main Street communities and preservation assistance for hundreds of historic resources, including National Register properties, National Historic Landmarks, and state and locally designated historic sites. The presentation will examine the remarkable rise of the mail-order housing industry during the early twentieth century, when advances in manufacturing and transportation made homeownership more accessible than ever before. Attendees will learn how companies such as Aladdin and Sears transformed the American housing market, how these homes were designed and marketed, and why so many continue to define the character of neighborhoods across the country today. The program will also provide practical tips on identifying whether a home may be a mail-order kit house and highlight the lasting influence these homes have had on American architecture and community development. Several homes in Champaign County are believed to be mail-order kit homes, making the presentation especially relevant to local homeowners, history enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the architectural heritage of the community. The Preservation Alliance hopes the program will inspire residents to take a closer look at the history and design of their own homes and contribute to a better understanding of the county's residential heritage. |
"Many people are surprised to discover that some of the homes they admire every day may have arrived by railroad as pre-cut kits over a century ago," said John Bry, local historian and Board Member of the Champaign County Preservation Alliance. "This program offers a unique opportunity to learn how these homes shaped communities across America and how to recognize them in our own neighborhoods."
The presentation is part of the Preservation Alliance's renewed emphasis on educational programming designed to encourage appreciation, stewardship, and preservation of Champaign County's rich architectural heritage. The organization has also launched an effort to identify possible mail-order kit homes throughout Champaign County and encourages residents to attend if they are curious about the history of their own home.
The program is free and open to the public. No registration is required.
For additional information about the program or the Champaign County Preservation Alliance, visit the organization's website or follow the Alliance on social media.
The presentation is part of the Preservation Alliance's renewed emphasis on educational programming designed to encourage appreciation, stewardship, and preservation of Champaign County's rich architectural heritage. The organization has also launched an effort to identify possible mail-order kit homes throughout Champaign County and encourages residents to attend if they are curious about the history of their own home.
The program is free and open to the public. No registration is required.
For additional information about the program or the Champaign County Preservation Alliance, visit the organization's website or follow the Alliance on social media.
