As of 2017, there are 15 known early 20th-century kit houses in Cleveland Park, most of them well-preserved. Built between 1911 and 1926, they represent 12 different models from 3 major mail-order house companies, Aladdin Homes, Lewis Manufacturing Co. and Sears Roebuck. Interestingly, and unlike in most other parts of town (or even the country), the majority of the Cleveland Park kit houses was built on spec buy builders who — especially in the early years — had a fine instinct for the profit margin these quality houses afforded.
This list of historic mail-order homes by Sears, Lewis, and Aladdin is the fruit of many years of research and continues to be a work in progress. Any help and tips appreciated! We started compiling the specific Cleveland Park database in cooperation with the Cleveland Park Historical Society, and we are always grateful for corrections, suggestions and additional information or tips (just use the form below or email us). For an interactive map 🗺 with photos and catalog pages for these homes, please click here. For front images of the homes, click on the 📷 symbol in each row.
| Address | Model | Year | Authenticated via | Comments/MLS Photos or blog links | First owners |
| 3601 35th St NW | Aladdin “Brentwood” | 1915 | One of 5 Hight & Co. kit houses on Porter permitted in 1915 | 📷 | Congressman Finis Garrett, Elizabeth Garrett |
| 3510 Quebec St NW | Lewis “Pilgrim” | 1926 | Lewis Mfg Co named as architect in permit | 📷 | F. Homer Curtiss; Builder: J.T. Miller |
| 3429 Porter St NW | Sears “Arlington” | 1916 | One of 5 Hight & Co. kit houses on Porter permitted in 1915 |
|
Mary Estelle Archer |
| 3519 Porter St NW | Sears “Arlington” | 1916 | One of 5 Hight & Co. kit houses on Porter permitted in 1915 | 📷
|
Dorothy and Horace Rouzer |
| 3024 Macomb St NW | Sears “Barrington” | 1930 | Sears Roebuck named on 1929 building permit | 📷 | Dagmar Carlson Leggett |
| 3035 Rodman St NW | Sears “Elsemore” | 1921 per permit | Historic building permits name Sears Roebuck as architect | 📷 – | John B. Lewis |
| 3515 35th St NW | Sears “Maywood” | 1926 | Keystone Co. Inc as builder; known to have built other kit houses. Filing “Architect” L.D. Rettstatt does not show up on any other DC homes or buildings. | 📷 | Ruth and Stanley Lynn, likely on spec; eventually sold to Daisy and Howard Roberts in 1927 |
| 3511 Porter St NW | Sears “Preston” | 1923 | Original building permits name Sears Roebuck as “architect” | 📷 | Eliza Lloyd Smith |
| 3424 QUEBEC ST NW | Sears “Walton” | 1924 | Original building permits name Sears Roebuck as “architect” | 📷 | Anna B. Hanson. Bought home for her son, Alfred Hanson (who is named as the “builder” on the original permit. Still owned by the same family in 2017. |
| 2937 Macomb St NW | Sears “No. 151” (in later years called “Avondale”) | 1911 | One of 4 (or possibly 5) houses built on spec by builder Harry A. Kite after he saw the Sears exhibit at the Illinois state fair | 📷
Porches and facade fenestration modified by builder on all four homes. |
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| 2939 Macomb St NW | Sears “No. 151” (in later years called “Avondale”) | 1911 | One of 4 (or possibly 5) houses built on spec by builder Harry A. Kite after he saw the Sears exhibit at the Illinois state fair | 📷
Porches and facade fenestration modified by builder on all four homes. |
|
| 3433 Porter St NW | Sears “No. 164” | 1916 | One of five Porter St kit houses built by Hight & Co. | 📷
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Horace Ward |
| 2941 Macomb St NW | Sears “No. 168” ( in later years called “Matoka”) | 1911 | One of 4 (or possibly 5) houses built on spec by builder Harry A. Kite after he saw the Sears exhibit at the Illinois state fair | 📷
Porches and facade fenestration modified by builder on all four homes. |
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| 2943 Macomb St NW | Sears “No. 168” ( in later years called “Matoka”) | 1911 | One of 4 (possibly 5) houses built on spec by builder Harry A. Kite after he saw the Sears exhibit at the Illinois state fair | 📷
Porches and facade fenestration modified by builder on all four homes. |
|
| 3707 Reno Road/34th St NW | Sears, unidentified model | 1926 | Sears Roebuck & Co. named as “architect” on the permit | 📷
26 ft wide, 32 deep; porte-cochere |
Fairchild, Vera Ward |
For an interactive map with photos and catalog pages for these homes, please click here.
If you own (or live in) a historic mail-order house–or if you suspect you might–please click here.