But Lustrons were created between these two eras, and they have their own distinct period aesthetic, as exemplified by the two images above. Not bad for an all steel home! Thus, the dream of Carl Strandlundbecame reality, and Luston built around 3,000 homes between 1948 and 1950, whichsold for between $8,500 and $9,500. I have loved Lustons for decades, and was thrilled to finally be IN one at the Lustron House Museum in Great Bend, Kansas. They spun off Lustron as it was Government funded. Lustron homes were then loaded onto a truck, taken to their site, and assembled by a. Lustron Homes produced over 2,000 homes between 1947 and 1950, but they didnt have the capital to repay Reconstruction Finance Corporation, which provided startup loans to Lustron. Like the Lustron home, the Quonset hut is a prefabricated, steel structure of distinctive style. This is my first of at least 10 before Im dead. It consists of five prefabricated homes built by the Lustron Corporation after World War II. I would find find tiles that came as close as possible to the originals in terms of color and design, and have them all re-cut to 1010. Id love to spend a vacation in one. Although Texas was the furthest west of the official Lustron zones, at least three Lustron homes were constructed on Fairway Drive in Los Alamos, New Mexico. More UFO than cookie cutter house. Whitehall Historical Society. In total, over 50,000 potential buyers viewed the model Lustron Homes put up in Chicago. A copy of the original construction manual has helped. Power Its a whole book about deconstructing a Lustron. Oh yes, and they must pay for all of the work out of their own pockets. I would relocate the meter, all the wiring, and the AC condenser. The houses came with accessories like screen doors and steel venetian blinds. I got a lustron home and my bathroom door were latches onto the wall I am missing that latch mechanism I was wondering if somebody could send a picture of where it latches onto the wall. Then I would have had immense fun carefully recreating a distinct circa-1950 period decor not Deco nor Atomic-age but that wonderful in-between aesthetic which has no name. Our kids have magnetic games they use on the walls, and it keeps them busy for hours. Not surprisingly, the whole house has a similar effect on Zeiger, but hes not complaining. The subjects are, indeed, home." -Douglas Knerr, author of Suburban Steel: The Magnificent Failure of the Lustron Corporation, 1945-1951 (OSU Press) About the Author Charles Mintz studied photography at the Maine Photographic Workshop, Parsons School of Design, the International Center for Photography, Lakeland Community College, and . Its definitely an aesthetic all its own. The Specification Guides provide detailed product information to help you specify the right Lutron solution for your project. Lutron Electronics Co., Inc, Technical Documentation & Support Overview, Sivoia QS Wireless Kirb vertical drapery system, Sivoia QS Wireless Horizontal sheer blinds, Sivoia QS Triathlon insulating honeycomb shades, Anti-Slavery & Human Trafficking Statements, Cleaning Recommendations for Lutron Products, I loved your post. Staff picked a building site on the parks far east end that mirrored the original locations topography. What could be better than a $10,000 home that lasts 100 years without the need to paint, re-shingle or repair? All Rights Reserved. Is this a third Lustron? Lustron Homes were revolutionary for the time, and they were exceptionally well-built. It would make a great shop, office, or guest bedroom once HVAC was installed. It was pretty much like playing with an erector set with mainly pictures for reference, says Steve. Though not open for tours, several other Lustron homes can be seen in Columbus at the following addresses: 272 E. Weisheimer, 27 Kanawha, 214 Arden and 185 Arden. Somebody went to great effort with this structure as the walls look like Lustron panels but are actually concrete. It was in 1948 that Lustron Homes, headed up by Columbus businessman Carl Strandlund birthed the idea to create prefabricated homes out of steel and to build all their component parts in a. Help finding the correct product From 1948 to 1950, Lustron Corporation built thousands of these unique homes before falling to bankruptcy. Tell lawmakers and decision makers that our nation's historic places matter. Commerce Street and 617 Lincoln. And I would have largely dismantled it to restore it, well, right. First, the typical Lustron was composed of about 3000 components, making disassembly and reassembly a fairly complex task. Located in Chesterton, Indiana, this Lustron home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Unfortunately, over the first 20 months of operation, the company lost money on each of the homes they built. If Madison city officials approve, America will soon lose another Lustron which, depending on your view of the prefabricated, mass-produced, and yet decidedly distinct post-World War II homes, could be a gift to good taste or a blow to the nation's architectural history. For Residential buildings choose Other to get started. Looking for a meaningful way to support the historic local eateries you love? 21 E 27th Ave, Hutchinson, KS 67502 is a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 986 sqft single-family home built in 1950. Lustron home with original steel siding, roof and windows and added foundation trim. You can even hose off the exterior and use a brush to scrub them down if they become dirty. 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Strandlund thought of an inventive American use for enameled metal: solve the U.S. housing crisis. >> Part 1: "Never before in America:" The invention of the Lustron>> Part 2: "Metal Homes without Wheels">> Part 3: Oral History -- Lustron homes: Proving their mettle after 50 years>> Part 4: Moving (and saving) a Lustron home>> Part 6: Living in a Lustron -- and loving it, Part 1: "Never before in America:" The invention of the Lustron, Part 3: Oral History -- Lustron homes: Proving their mettle after 50 years, Part 4: Moving (and saving) a Lustron home, Part 6: Living in a Lustron -- and loving it, Old house insulation: common problems and solutions, Energy efficient and authentic: home windows for old house styles, Old house winterizing: Be ready when the temperature drops, Old house additions: how to add on a sunroom, Taking the rebate: How to score incentives for home retrofit projects, 6 of America's most popular old home styles, How to turn an old playhouse into a chicken coop. . Steve, a chemical engineer, and Laurie, director of a professional development partnership for teachers at Valparaiso University, led with their strengths. But executing Strandlund's vision became problematic almost from the start. New Yorks Museum of Modern Art recruited the Snells for the volunteer team that assembled part of a Lustron for a 50s housing exhibit on modular homes at the museum in 2008. The Lustron Corporation geared up to produce thousands of the homes from its re-tooled aircraft factory in Columbus, Ohio, before financing misjudgments and corruption in federal housing agencies forced its premature closure. It was recognized as a historic district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. Their one-acre lot on a dead end street had cost $975. A decade ago, Steve and Laurie Snell found out, when they leased a Lustron, a brand of quirky prefabricated houses with a cult following. To other parts of this story. Requests that do not answer questions will be declined. Marketed as a maintenance -free home, thes e houses are now more than 50 years old and relatively well preserved as a group . ABOVE: You can see how replacement windows SO do not look right on a Lustron! Any help would be greatly appreciated. View all What things in your home will your grandkids make fun of? The home was donated to the society in 2003 so a garage could be built adjacent to a new home. From our earliest history, we gather and tell stories. Choosing the best realtor for your old house, How to protect your old house after you're gone. The first Lustron model home, the Esquire two-bedroom, opened to visitors in Chicago on August 11, 1948. Im not sure this thread is active. Not sure I understand what you need, Keith. By the time a foundation, erection costs and other fees were added, the total could amount to $10,000. Lustron Homes built of all metal 1947-49 to meet demand for housing for returning WWII soldiers WTTW Chicago Tonight Lustron Home Special from 2004 PickleMan333 18K views 7 years ago HERE'S. The 207-page book, delivered to each house site along with a truckload of parts, is one of Zeigers favorite aspects of Lustrons. Want to learn about installing or programming Lutron solutions? and there are no replacement parts," says Laurie. This all steel ranch has 2 king beds, one bathroom with shower/tub, a. PLEASE NOTE: you *must* answer questions to be approved by the Administrator. Each layer list can also be expanded, allowing for easier lookup of specific towns or addresses. off when a room is vacant. Whoee! Please subscribe to continue reading 0 Comments Tags Lustron Homes View all technical documentation for this system. 2023 Still a Lustron -- under vinyl siding and with replacement windows and an addition. Only two in our town in SW Michigan. An innovative solution by Chicago industrialist Carl Strandlund, the Lustron house is made of prefabricated porcelain enameled steel, shipped and put together wherever you wantedan IKEA home, if you will. Inside, families could sit around a built-in, glossy-surfaced table, eating home-cooked dinners in cozy domestic bliss. Designed for homeowners and industry professionals. provide control of fluorescent and larger lighting loads. Lustron houses were delivered to 36 states, complete with more than 3,300 parts and something any homeowner could claim was unique, modern, and exciting; a plaque in the utility room that proudly boasted "Lustron Steel Home Made in Columbus, OH" with their very own Lustron's serial number and model number. Take a look at all the ways we're growing the field to save places. If anyone has any ideas on locating one we would be very grateful for your assistance. Instead, they produced less than 20 homes a day. Kinda upscale pre-fab. steel parts. Product specific troubleshooting The sliding door (which works well) to the left goes to the hall. The enameled-steel design was promoted as a structure that didnt require painting and would: Lustron Homes made use of mass manufacturing, with a steel framing system that allowed for: Strandlund wanted to construct gas stations initially, but due to regulations on steel, the Truman administration would only allow the builder to obtain steel if they agreed to build residential units. Its even more like living in a flying saucer than the Dymaxion is. Yet the Lustron Home's astonishingly widespread dispersion serves as evidence of its acceptance in the American heartland. Kinro White Self Storing Storm Window Purchase In Store Only. It didnt take long before he felt the pull to preserve the under-appreciated Lustron himself. Replies to my comments Strandlund realized that G.I.s were returning from World War II and there werent enough homes on the market to meet demand. But the post-war period instead brought a housing crisis. Product specific FAQs a piece of plywood and some white siding in the rear would buy you a lot of time to get correct panels and if you needed to, it looks like sheet metal can simply be placed over the spots, but id do this in the least noticable spots if you have to do this, aka, the rear of the home . All Rights Reserved. 2 BD; 1 BA; 986 Sqft; 0.24 Ac. They wanted to settle into their homes with as little headaches and hard work as possible. One man had an idea: why not transform the steel factories which had created tanks and battleships into factories creating housing? Still a Lustron -- under vinyl siding and with replacement windows and an addition. Wonderful! In total, Lustron Homes received over $37 million in loans that they never paid back. Lustrons are made of porcelain enameled steel11 tons of it molded into 30,000 parts, all of which fit together like a giant, three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. "The importance of this venture is, if it works, you will get cheap housing," argued RFC Director Harvey Gunderson before a Senate Banking and Currency subcommittee, in June. The only fear I have is would it stick to the glasslike paint; might need a scotchbrite pad to roughen it so it can hold. Exercise greater dimming control using ballasts and drivers by Lutron. info@indianalandmarks.org, Copyright 2023 Indiana Landmarks | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use, Ferdinand Mercantile Undergoes Dramatic Rehab, Roberts Settlement Shares Story of Historic Black Community, POSTED ON February 28, 2019 BY Indiana Landmarks |, French Lick & West Baden Springs Hotel Tours, First Fridays at Indiana Landmarks Center, Preservation Conference | September 19 22, 2023. The Lustron home skeleton was a steel frame, welded at the factory into wall sections and roof trusses. He too, wanted to put post-war factories to work building houses. $38.52. Can one climb up into the attic through the utility room door and install wiring without damaging the ceilings? http://www.ncmodernist.org/final-lustron-documentation-booklet.pdf. ABOVE: The utility room. technical Zeigers Lustronlocated in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, a state parkis one of these buildings. About 2,680 Lustron homes, made of porcelain-enameled steel panels, were built in the 1940s during the four years the Lustron company existed. Why not transform the steel factories which had created tanks and battleships into factories creating housing the. Of its acceptance in the American heartland homes with lustron homes replacement parts little headaches and work... ; says Laurie mainly pictures for reference, says Steve instead brought a housing.. He too, wanted to put post-war factories to work building houses preserved as a historic district and listed the. 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