It’s always fun to follow up on some old blog posts, and even more fun when we can announce a historic mail-order home for sale in the process! A few years ago, we wrote about a popular Sears catalog model, the “Vallonia.” Its arts-and-crafts style and spacious expandable interior hit the taste of the 1920s and was loved in our area as well; about a dozen still existing specimen in DC and its close-in suburbs have been authenticated so far. We featured Vallonia owners Kathryn and Simon back then, and here’s the exciting news: You can see their lovely home from the inside now, and you could even purchase it! It’s listed for $619,000 and open this weekend.
The home’s first owner was a certain Miles L Woodruff, who–according to the DC City Directory from 1928–lived in the house with his wife, Myrtle, née England. Myrtle and Miles had only been married since 1923, when Miles was 24 years old and Myrtle was 22. The kids certainly got on with their lives a little faster a hundred years ago, didn’t they! They listed Sears Roebuck as the “architect” on their 1927 building permit, and the closest railroad tracks for the delivery of the parts was barely a couple of blocks away. We don’t know what Miles did for a living, but Myrtle was listed as a “dictaphone operator for the Aviation Institute of the US”. (Check this out if you have no clue what that might even have been.)
Fast-forward to the pandemic year of 2020, and you will find a fabulous 5-bedroom home with an awesome 21st-century kitchen and a huge backyard. (And in case you’ll ever find yourself going to an office again, the place is just about three and a half miles away from the U.S. Capitol.) It’s a nice mix of historic architectural detail (those narrow-width floors!) and modern conveniences. We loved Miles and Myrtle’s radiators and some iron ovens that perhaps could still heat up the basement.
As for Simon and Kathryn, we’re not at liberty to say where they ran off to, but just want to congratulate them on their adorable new baby boy. He’s a total charmer, and one day, they’ll probably take him back to visit 3003 Franklin St NE in Langdon. Brace yourself!
While its design is a basic square with a hipped roof and full-width front porch, the “Americus” also has the advantage of some characteristic elements that make it easy to spot. One of the bedrooms, for instance, extends into the porch roof — an unusual feature we’ve never seen in any other home. And there are those decorative triple brackets on all the corners of the roof and porch. The brackets have sometimes fallen victim to renovations, but you can usually see that top room jotting out.
In the meantime, it remains to be seen whether the faith of the Woodridge Windsor will be any better, or perhaps worse. It went under contract after the first weekend. We’re not sure whether the buyer was an end user, a builder, or a flipper.
