Few Words: A Catalogue Home?

The owner of the old family farm seen here, and it’s a beauty, has suspicions it might be a catalogue home. It certainly looks the part and being curious types, we volunteered to investigate. The Team scoured plan books and anything that could find on the subject, plus called on authority Les Henry, but unfortunately came up empty. Talk about a big fat bupkis and a huge disappointment.

Few Words: A Catalogue Home?

While some designs found were close in one way or another, there was no definitive match. This research ate up countless hours and two years after starting, we’re still no further ahead. Sometimes that’s how it goes, but as always we’ll work on it till the bitter end. That we haven’t found anything yet does not fill us with confidence and hope, however.

Still, this building has all the earmarks of a ready-made home and perhaps was one, but modified when built. We’ve seen this before, so I guess the possibility is there. If so, it’s been heavily altered. What ever the outcome, it’s a majestic four-square and with a bit of work we imagine it could easily be lived in again. It really should be in museum and on display as an archetypical farm home.

Due to the sensitive nature of this location, we all decided it’s best to not speak of its history. We struggled with this decision because you know we like to babble on endlessly, but know it’s for the best. We can say these few words, however: it was built well over a century ago and empty for some time now. Enjoy the photos…

There’s lots of new content posted regularly, so don’t go away!

Know more about ready-made homes offered in Canada at the time (new window):
Catalogue Homes Canada.

Note: Sears did not have presence in Canada during the Catalogue Home era, although it’s often assumed they did. Still, we covered all bases and searched their records anyway.

They’re saying…

“You guys are awesome sauce!” Peter Schoenfelder.

More like this…
Valley Farm – Then a hot air balloon shows up.
The Amazing Brady Mansion – Stuck in 1970 and a mess.
Peeling Paint and Lace Curtains – Not a country song but an amazing time capsule house.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date: August, 2020.
Location: Middle of Nowhere, AB.
Article references and thanks: Jeanette and Les Henry.

Down on the old family farm.

Glass is intact and untouched by vandals.

The view goes on forever.

Looking out from the attic.

And now out the back door.

This barn is nicer than most.

Storm’s a brewing.

Homemade yard art.

The owner has suspicions it might be a catalogue home.

Fields in every direction.

Slowly…back…away.

It’s a fine old structure.

The farm dates back over a century.

Love those windows.

Curtains still hang in the windows.

The barn is slowly collapsing.

Connie and her cancer therapy hair.

This mobile home was last to be occupied.

A lucky handheld capture.

The storm skirted the property.

It’s as though someone’s home.

It looks lived in again.