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Historic Urbana, Urbana, OH (2026)

07/16/2026

Cool off tomorrow evening, Thursday, July 16th at 7 P.M. and join the Champaign County Preservation Alliance as it hosts a fascinating talk about mail order and kit homes.

There are numerous examples of these unique homes from the early part of the 20th century in every corner of the Champaign County. The speaker will be friend and colleague, Ron Campbell who is an award winning Preservation Architect based in metro Detroit.

Location: Urbana Episcopal Church, 230 Scioto Street
7 P.M.
Thursday, July 16th.
Free and open to all

Hope to see you there Champaign County Preservation Alliance

07/12/2026

Some assembly required...

Have you ever heard of the Model 122, the Gateshead, or the Berwyn? These are just a few of the model names of homes produced by Sears, Roebuck & Co. during the first half of the 20th century.

Known as "kit homes" or mail-order homes, Urbana citizens and Champaign County residents could order a brand-new house from a catalog, have the building materials shipped directly to their property, and assemble it themselves or by a contractor. Between 1908 and 1940, it is estimated that Sears shipped nearly 100,000 prefabricated, stylish homes across the United States. Prices ranged from just a few hundred dollars to around $5,000, depending on the size and complexity of the model selected.

But Sears wasn't the only company in the mail-order house business. The Aladdin Company of Bay City, Michigan, and Montgomery Ward also offered ready-to-build homes that arrived by rail for assembly.

Plan-book homes were just as popular then as they are today. Radford Architectural Company, based in Chicago, published a variety of home plan books and magazines featuring stylish floor plans from which buyers could choose. Unlike a Sears kit home, however, purchasing a Radford home meant buying only the architectural plans—you were responsible for sourcing the building materials yourself.

Want to learn more about mail-order homes and house plans? Join the Champaign County Preservation Alliance for a fascinating presentation by Michigan architect Ron Campbell, who will explore the history of houses by mail while highlighting examples found right here in our historic city and county.

From Lippincott Road in Salem Township to Lincoln Place in Urbana, Main Street in St. Paris, and Mechanicsburg-Catawba Road, mail-order homes from the early 20th century are still all around us.

Join the conversation!

📅 Thursday, July 16
🕖 7:00 p.m.
📍 Urbana Episcopal Church
230 Scioto Street, Urbana

The presentation is free and open to the public. The Photos: Examples of mail order homes found on the streets of historic Urbana on Lincoln Place and Washington Avenue.

07/12/2026

Some assembly required...

Have you ever heard of the Model 122, the Gateshead, or the Berwyn? These are just a few of the model names of homes produced by Sears, Roebuck & Co. during the first half of the 20th century.

Known as "kit homes" or mail-order homes, Urbana citizens and Champaign County residents could order a brand-new house from a catalog, have the building materials shipped directly to their property, and assemble it themselves or by a contractor. Between 1908 and 1940, it is estimated that Sears shipped nearly 100,000 prefabricated, stylish homes across the United States. Prices ranged from just a few hundred dollars to around $5,000, depending on the size and complexity of the model selected.

But Sears wasn't the only company in the mail-order house business. The Aladdin Company of Bay City, Michigan, and Montgomery Ward also offered ready-to-build homes that arrived by rail for assembly.

Plan-book homes were just as popular then as they are today. Radford Architectural Company, based in Chicago, published a variety of home plan books and magazines featuring stylish floor plans from which buyers could choose. Unlike a Sears kit home, however, purchasing a Radford home meant buying only the architectural plans—you were responsible for sourcing the building materials yourself.

Want to learn more about mail-order homes and house plans? Join the Champaign County Preservation Alliance for a fascinating presentation by Michigan architect Ron Campbell, who will explore the history of houses by mail while highlighting examples found right here in our historic city and county.

From Lippincott Road in Salem Township to Lincoln Place in Urbana, Main Street in St. Paris, and Mechanicsburg-Catawba Road, mail-order homes from the early 20th century are still all around us.

Join the conversation!

📅 Thursday, July 16
🕖 7:00 p.m.
📍 Urbana Episcopal Church
230 Scioto Street, Urbana

The presentation is free and open to the public. The Photos: Examples of mail order homes found on the streets of historic Urbana on Lincoln Place and Washington Avenue, and Main Street in St. Paris

06/28/2026

It's been a minute. About four years to be exact. I just finished scouting a route, doing some research, and selecting stories from the city's past for a new historic Oak Dale Cemetery tour for later in October. Presented by the Champaign County Preservation Alliance More details forthcoming in the near future.

06/08/2026

Neither wind, hail nor rain could stop the music on Saturday. What an incredible event as talented musicians from Michigan to Nashville arrived in Urbana to begin what we hope will become a new tradition for the historic St. Paul Historic District and the Urbana community. Thank you to all who braved the weather to gather in person and the musicians who shared their talents. Thank you to St. Paul AME Church who opened their doors, and to those music lovers who tuned in from around the world to listen online. Thanks to the Echoes in the Iron crew, and to Peoples Savings Bank and the Champaign County Arts Council for their support.

Read more below about the first Echoes in the Iron event in Urbana with hopefully more to follow in the future.

05/29/2026

A few of the former residents of the Historic St. Paul Neighborhood we will be discussing during our walking tour to commemorate National Historic Preservation Month. Tours are free. No tickets or reservations required. Tours begin at St Paul AME Church, 316 East Market Street, at 4 PM and 5 PM, Saturday, May 30th. Presented by The Peoples Savings Bank, The Champaign County Preservation ALliance, and St Paul Neighborhood.

05/25/2026

Company is coming in July. Friend and colleague Ron Campbell is coming to Urbana and Champaign County for a visit from Michigan. While in town, Ron is going to present his talk on the history of mail order and kit homes on Thursday evening, July 16th. (Location and time to be determined soon)

We know where there are many mail order and kit homes in Urbana and Champaign County by Sears, Radford and Lustron, but we'd like to hear from you. Share photos or locations of known or suspected mail order or kit homes we can share with Ron in preparation for his visit and talk.

Ron is a well respected Historic Preservation architect in metro Detroit. He is a certified preservation professional with the U.S. Department of Interior, and serves on Michigan's advisory board for accessibility. He has been recognized by the Michigan Historic Preservation Network with their Lifetime Achievement Award. We look forward to welcoming Ron to Urbana and Champaign County.

05/17/2026

Many communities can claim a famous artist. Few can say their own people, farms, and neighbors became the subjects of nationally celebrated works of art as well.

One of Urbana’s most accomplished native sons was Edgar Melville Ward (1839–1915), an internationally recognized painter born in Urbana and the grandson of city founder Colonel William Ward. Edgar was the brother of famed sculptor John Quincy Adams Ward, one of America’s most important nineteenth-century artists whose works helped shape the nation’s artistic landscape. Together, the Ward brothers represented one of Urbana’s most remarkable artistic families.

Edgar Ward studied at Miami University and became a member of New York’s prestigious National Academy of Design, where he taught painting and drawing for more than 35 years. He rose to national prominence and earned honors for his paintings, particularly his scenes of everyday life and rural America.

Yet despite success in New York City and Europe, Urbana never left him.

Many of Edgar Melville Ward’s works were painted in and around Urbana and featured local scenes and local people. One of his best-known paintings, "The Quilting Party," was especially rooted in home. The oil painting was completed around 1892 with the original work now part of the permanent collection of the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska. Several local women from Urbana and Champaign County modeled for the painting including:

Mrs. Isabelle Duncan
Miss Sue Eichelberger (sister to General Robert Eichelberger) She would become Mrs. Jerome Zerbe.
Miss Kate Talbott
Miss Anna Lee
Mrs. Clara (Espy)Thayer

Edge Melville Ward also painted another celebrated work, "The Last Sheaf," based on a scene south of Urbana featuring local resident Mr. Panthea, shown gathering the final sheaf of harvest in a wheat field. That paining is in a private collection today while other of Ward's works can be found at "The Met" in New York City, and the Smithsonian Museum of American Art in Washington D.C. where his work entitled, "The Blockmaker" can be found.

The photos: Edgar Melville Ward, "The Quilting Party", the circa 1892, "The Quilting Party", "The Blockmaker", and Mrs. Isabelle Duncan who is depicted in the "Quilting Party".

04/04/2026

I launched a new page this week for the historic St. Paul neighborhood in Urbana. A place near and dear to me I have been studying for 35 years. Here is one of the first official posts. Enjoy and follow along if you would like.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17Ke348LnT/

Historic Urbana

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