This bungalow was a classic Arts & Crafts design (from the 1921 catalog).

And there's one in Abilene, Texas. Can someone run down there and get me a photo? I can't pay you, but I'll send you a signed copy of my book!! :)

And there's one in Fargo, too. Can someone run up there and get me a photo?

The Ashmore was a spacious house with lots of nice features. And it was a departure from the simple foursquares that were the bread and butter of the Sears Modern Homes catalogs. The living room and dining room both have coffered ceilings, and there's a fireplace nook at one end of the massive living room, with a window seat at the other end.

Here's an image from the 1916 catalog. Pre-1918 (before Sears Homes had names) this was the C250 model. "The Ashmore" sounds much more elegant.

The cover of the 1921 Sears Building Materials catalog shows an Ashmore in the background.

Sears must have been very proud of their Ashmore, too. For more than a dozen years, interior "views" of the Ashmore were featured in two-page spreads. Only the more impressive houses were given two full pages in the old catalogs. The dining room (shown above) is outfitted with classic Arts & Crafts pieces. The oak wainscoting (topped with plate-rail) is shown, but not the coffered (beamed) ceiling.

One end of the 23-foot-long living room had a window seat (shown above).

And the other end had a fireplace nook.

Arts & Crafts bungalows were all about nooks. Here's a breakfast nook, complete with classic trestle table. According to the floor plan, that's an ironing board in the wall to the right of the nook.

And here's the world's most beautiful Ashmore. Not too fond of the color, but it is in wonderfully original condition. It's in Waverly, Illinois and it's featured in my book, "The Sears Homes of Illinois." The A&C movement was characterized by earthy colors of browns, tans, dark green and other muted colors. Electric blue with yellow trim doesn't do it for me. But thank goodness, it's in original condition and the vinyl siding salesmen have not decimated it.

Doesn't that warm the cockles of your heart? Compare it to the house above, and you'll see it's a perfect match. My oh my, that's a sweet-looking house!

If this doesn't make your heart leap with joy, you should stop what you're doing right now and make sure that you still have a heart beat. Look at these porches. This sweet thing in Waverly still has its original porch railings.

This beautiful Ashmore is in Cincinnati. Apparently, blue is a really popular color for the Ashmore! Photo is copyright 2011 Donna Bakke and can not be used or reproduced without written permission.

And here's one in Ocean View (Norfolk), Virginia. Isn't it dreamy?

This Arts & Crafts bungalow is the Sears Ashmore and it's one of my favorite houses. It's a real beauty of a house, and I've seen about five in my many travels, so it's pretty rare.

And here's that "Aristrocrat of Bungalows" on a side street just off of Granby in Ocean View.

Sears Walton as seen in the 1921 Modern Homes catalog

Are these owners proud of their Sears Argyle? I'd say yes. :)

This is a Sears Alhambra as seen in the 1921 catalog.

And this is a Sears Alhambra, sans Spanish-flavored extras!

The Vallonia was a very popular model. This Craftsman style bungalow had an expandable attic and was perfect for a growing family!

This Vallonia has been converted into a duplex, but it's still in good condition.

Note the detail on the porch columns. About two dozen Sears Homes had this unusual arrangement on the porch columns.

Close-up of the column on the Ocean View house

There are two of the Harris Brothers kit homes in Ocean View. Very distinctive-looking house. Harris Brothers was a small company based in Chicago, IL.

It was known as Harris Brothers Home #1000, and was a popular design for this kit home company, but there are not many Harris Brother homes in Virginia. Notice the curved front porch (now closed in). Even original flower-box brackets are still in place.

This is a kit home from Gordon Van Tine, a competitor of Sears in the kit home business.

Here's a Gordon Van Tine "Roberts" and in perfect condition!

The Westly was another very popular house for Sears.

Like the other Craftsman-style bungalow in Ocean View, this Sears Westly has also been turned into a duplex.

From the 1928 Sears Modern Homes catalog

Sears Barrington in Ocean View!

This was not a kit home, but a house design from a "plan book." Prospective homeowners would browse the pages of a catalog and find a home that they liked, and after sending in their dollars, they'd receive a full set of blueprints and a full inventory of what was needed to build their dream home. Building supplies were purchased locally.

The Carrville (Homebuilder's Catalog)

Sears Brookwood, from the 1933 catalog.

The Brookwood was a smaller version of the Barrington. It was four feet shorter and two feet narrower.

Sam grew up working with his father at the family business in Ocean View, "Evan's Garage." This weather vane is last remnant of the Evan's Garage (founded in 1918).

Some of the natural beauty that's in abundance in Ocean View.

The nice sandy beaches of Ocean View.

This Arts & Crafts bungalow is the Sears Ashmore and it's one of my favorite houses. It's a real beauty of a house, and I've seen about five in my many travels, so it's pretty rare.

And here's that "Aristrocrat of Bungalows" on a side street just off of Granby in Ocean View.

This is a Sears Alhambra as seen in the 1921 catalog.

And this is a Sears Alhambra, sans Spanish-flavored extras!

The Vallonia was a very popular model. This Craftsman style bungalow had an expandable attic and was perfect for a growing family!

This Vallonia has been converted into a duplex, but it's still in good condition.

Note the detail on the porch columns. About two dozen Sears Homes had this unusual arrangement on the porch columns.

Close-up of the column on the Ocean View house

There are two of the Harris Brothers kit homes in Ocean View. Very distinctive-looking house. Harris Brothers was a small company based in Chicago, IL.

It was known as Harris Brothers Home #1000, and was a popular design for this kit home company, but there are not many Harris Brother homes in Virginia. Notice the curved front porch (now closed in). Even original flower-box brackets are still in place.

This is a kit home from Gordon Van Tine, a competitor of Sears in the kit home business.

Here's a Gordon Van Tine "Roberts" and in perfect condition!

The Westly was another very popular house for Sears.

Like the other Craftsman-style bungalow in Ocean View, this Sears Westly has also been turned into a duplex.

From the 1928 Sears Modern Homes catalog

Sears Barrington in Ocean View!

This was not a kit home, but a house design from a "plan book." Prospective homeowners would browse the pages of a catalog and find a home that they liked, and after sending in their dollars, they'd receive a full set of blueprints and a full inventory of what was needed to build their dream home. Building supplies were purchased locally.

The Carrville (Homebuilder's Catalog)

Sears Brookwood, from the 1933 catalog.

The Brookwood was a smaller version of the Barrington. It was four feet shorter and two feet narrower.

The last remnant of the Evan's Garage (owned by Sam Evan's father).