Morgan Memories – A 99% Invisible Home

A short time ago I was listening to my favorite podcast, Ninety-nine Percent Invisible.  This time, as is usual, the topic was very interesting and exceptionally well presented.  The creator/host, Roman Mars, not only has an interesting name but also has a fantastic dulcet speaking voice with a great presentation style.  99PercentInvisible.org is all about “the unnoticed architecture and design that shape our world.” This time, in episode 323 from producer Joe Rosenberg, the topic was “The House that Came in the Mail” which discusses the Sears catalog and how from 1908 to 1949, “… the Sears Modern Homes Program offered complete mail-order houses…”

Listening, I was instantly reminded of the house I grew up in overlooking the bay in Morgan.  Like the lighthouse on the bay, the railroad along the shore, and the history of the Morgan family covered in other pages on this website, this was another example, of not knowing/seeing something which was completely in front of me (i.e., 99% invisible).  In self-defense, it wasn’t until many years after I moved away that I discovered the two envelopes mailed decades earlier from a company named Golden Key Homes, Inc. of Howard County, MD.  Inside were a catalog of home kits which could be purchased, blueprint-type drawings, and the Bill of Lading (an itemized list of what will be shipped) for our new “model Envoy 44 building.”

Though the catalog doesn’t show that specific model, there are a few models which have some familiar features to what grandma had purchased.  For each model shown in the catalog, there are a couple of options regarding floor plans and often a drawing of a furnished room.  All you had to do was place an order and they would ship your house, in pieces, on a truck to your “job site.”  Here are some images from the catalog:

 

 

From some of the models in the catalog, I can see some features which our house had – mostly the design of the sidings and the windows.

It is all a memory now, as for good or bad, the house no longer stands – thus making it a 100% invisible home.  It doesn’t seem like Golden Key Homes is around anymore, either.

In addition to Roman’s kewl name, there is another talented individual with a more wonderous name who is also part of the podcast as a staff producer – Avery Trufelman.  You should check out the 99 Percent Invisible podcast, it is always fascinating.  As for home kit homes, I wonder how long it will be until Amazon offers them?

Originally posted on October 15, 2018.