The
previous post mentioned the Aladdin Company's plant based in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. In 1920, Davenport, Iowa's
Gordon-Van Tine Company similarly established a southern yellow pine and cypress mill operation at 22 Pine between Florence and Scooba Streets (shown below). Mill employees marked pre-cut elements with blue lumber crayon for easy assembly.
Home builders in southern states could order Gordon-Van Tine "Ready-Cut" and "Not-Ready-Cut" dwellings for shipment by rail. Clients were required to pick up the house kits at the appropriate railroad station.
From 1922-1932 Gordon-Van Tine also produced Wardway Homes for the Montgomery Ward Company. Its Hattiesburg mill served as the distribution point for the southern United States (shown below).
The Southeastern Architectural Archive retains undated building plans associated with Ward's
"The Illlinois" in its
Miscellaneous Drawings.
In September 1922, the Gordon-Van Tine Company placed an advertisement in
The Times-Picayune, emphasizing that it offered "southern house" plans designed by New Orleans architects (shown above). During the 1920s, agents representing the company's Home Planning Division often sought residential plans from architects across the country. John Andrew Ross, the company's chief architect during this period, emphasized that all plans were carefully considered by "twenty experts" who assessed them based on architectural as well as "housekeeping" criteria.(1)
In November 1925, Gordon-Van Tine executives Horace G. Roberts and M.L. Grant acquired the former Aladdin Company plant on North Street in Hattiesburg. They rapidly renovated the structure for use as a yellow pine and hardwood flooring factory, the Hattiesburg Flooring Company.(2)
(1)John Andrew Ross. "The Plan-Cut Home from the Architect's Standpoint." Gordon-Van Tine Company.
Gordon-Van Tine Homes. Davenport, IA: 1926. Building Technology Heritage Library via Internet Archive.
(2)"Ready-Cut House Plant Purchased."
The Times-Picayune 28 November 1925.
Images above:
Gordon-Van Tine Co.
Gordon-Van Tine Homes. Davenport, IA: 1920. Building Technology Heritage Library via Internet Archive.
"Hattiesburg, Mississippi Plant." Gordon-Van Tine Co.
Gordon-Van Tine Homes. Davenport, IA: 1926. Building Technology Heritage Library via Internet Archive.
Montgomery Ward Co.
Wardway Homes. Chicago: 1924. Building Technology Heritage Library via Internet Archive.
"Buy Direct from Mill!"
The Times-Picayune 24 September 1922.
4 comments:
Hi, Keli! Your research on Aladdin and Gordon-Van Tine revealed some things I wasn't aware of. Thanks!
Lara
Sears Homes of Chicagoland
sears-homes.com
Do the blueprints state who the architect of the Illinois was?
No, unfortunately not. Typically when we process a collection, if the architect/firm is identified, we list the particulars in the finding aid.
Most sheets were drawn by "R.E.D." and traced by "H.H." The plumbing plans /steam heating originated from New York's Windsor Systems, and were drawn by "Schulze" and "E.C.S."
Post a Comment