"The House America's Been Waiting For""Never before in America a House Like This," read the 1949 Lustron advertisement in The Saturday Evening Post. Nor, as it turns out, was there ever again a house like the Lustron.
Constructed entirely of steel - including the interior and exterior walls, roof, the ceiling, kitchen cabinets, bookcase, and a vanity - the modest modernist ranches were entrepreneur Carl Strandlunds' solution to the severe housing shortage which plagued the country at the end of World War II.
The idea behind Lustrons was that they could be factory created, then trucked to the purchaser and assembled within two weeks by local builders. Ads claimed they never needed painting, the roof never replaced, the exterminator never called. Each home had its own serial number. Thirty-nine made the journey from the factory to North Carolina. Purchasers had a choice of colors and floor plans.
But Strandlunds Lustron Company produced just 2,500 of these homes of the future, before declaring bankruptcy in 1950. Today, only about 1,500 of them remain.
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| Lustron house #2144 in Pittsboro, NC |
Pittsboro's Lustron
One of these homes - #2144 - is still standing in Pittsboro, N.C. just a few blocks from downtown at 603 West Street. And it is available for purchase.
The owner, Shannon Plummer, hopes to see the house restored and says he is willing to talk with anyone who is interested (phone: 919-291-5921).
You can either purchase the house along with the lot where it currently stands or take it apart and reconstruct it on your own lot. There are plenty of resources available to guide you through this.
You can either purchase the house along with the lot where it currently stands or take it apart and reconstruct it on your own lot. There are plenty of resources available to guide you through this.
The house needs a lot of work. No one has lived here for several years. But for the growing number of enthusiasts, the effort is worth it.The North Carolina Modernist Houses organization is helping find the right owners to take on this challenge. They are holding an open house on Sunday, Sept. 7 during Pittsboro's First Sunday event.
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BEFORE: The Lustron came with this built-in steel vanity.
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AFTER: The Pittsboro Lustron vanity looks like this. At quick glance, the
parts appear to be there. Just needs some elbow grease?
Photo Album
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is offering it for close
to its original price
back in 1950...)
See links and video below to learn more.
Learn more about Lustron Homes:
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