Introducing The Lustron Home
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Launderess Luv,
You posted the link to the article for "The Day the Music Died". hehe. I am glad I am not the only one who does that.
Christopher
You posted the link to the article for "The Day the Music Died". hehe. I am glad I am not the only one who does that.
Christopher
It certainly is, ummm, Utilitarian looking, that's for sure. It just looks cold and sterile.
Chris
Chris
Bill Turner, an antique radio parts supplier, has a few pages about his Lustron house.
See link at bottom of page
See link at bottom of page
Listen Luvs
It were after war time wasn't it? Most would take what they could get and be glad of it.
It were after war time wasn't it? Most would take what they could get and be glad of it.
I've been by one of these in Minneapolis - beautiful!
You hung pictures with magnets - no holes. The dishwasher/clothes washer combined with the kitchen sink was a Thor - not automatic though, Thor didn't produce an automatic washer until 1954 and Lustron was out of business in 1950.
You hung pictures with magnets - no holes. The dishwasher/clothes washer combined with the kitchen sink was a Thor - not automatic though, Thor didn't produce an automatic washer until 1954 and Lustron was out of business in 1950.
Very true. I agree that times were tough after the war and that things were hard to come by during that period. My mom who grew up during those years has regaled me numerous times on what it was like back then. Though it seems like we are going through something very similar right now. Who know's, maybe the government will need to start building more of these things for all the people who are being foreclosed on. Scary thought, no?
Chris
Chris
IIRC, there are three of these in Waterloo, all next to each other along a main drag residential road. Neighborhood is a post War area, with most of the homes having been built from 45ish to about 55. Possibly turquoise/aqua, yellow, maybe salmon were the colors. I could be wrong. Maybe it is time for a photo.
I think a friend of mine has a sister who either currently owns one or had lived in one at one time. Would love to go through either of them!
Ben
I think a friend of mine has a sister who either currently owns one or had lived in one at one time. Would love to go through either of them!
Ben
Fascinating! I bet these would be way too expensive to manufacture these days in the same quality.
nurdlinger
Well-known member
The Best Years of Our Lives
Near the end of this movie, the Fred Derry character is wandering around in a field full of junked B-17 airplanes. He encounters a workman who tell him "We're using this material for pre-fabricated houses". I never did understand the line, thinking it meant house trailers or something like that. It must have meant this sort of Lustron design.
Near the end of this movie, the Fred Derry character is wandering around in a field full of junked B-17 airplanes. He encounters a workman who tell him "We're using this material for pre-fabricated houses". I never did understand the line, thinking it meant house trailers or something like that. It must have meant this sort of Lustron design.
Homes For GIs
Like many other things post WWII, these homes were built for returning GIs and their familes. The Lustron company got some funding from the US government as well.
For a young GI,his wife and probably one or more youngsters, owning their own home (with indoor plumbing, hot and cold water, along with all the mod cons), at such an early age was really unheard of. Considering how tight housing was post WWII, it certianly was seen as a blessing. Remember there were plenty who grew up in cold water flats, shacks and housing not much better than what one saw in "The Grapes of Wrath".
When one is speaking of builing entire areas of affordable housing cheaply, pre-fabricated and or "assembly line" construction is the way to go. Levittown amoung other places were all built along the same process. Workers moved down the line builing the exact same model, block, after block, after block.
Such homes probably were not meant to last a family forever, but just something that would do until they could move on. However in many cases, persons stayed put and redid their homes to suit. Again with Levittown, one can find homes that have been remodeled, additions added and so forth to the point they hardly resemble the shoe boxes they once were.
L.
en.wikipedia.org
Like many other things post WWII, these homes were built for returning GIs and their familes. The Lustron company got some funding from the US government as well.
For a young GI,his wife and probably one or more youngsters, owning their own home (with indoor plumbing, hot and cold water, along with all the mod cons), at such an early age was really unheard of. Considering how tight housing was post WWII, it certianly was seen as a blessing. Remember there were plenty who grew up in cold water flats, shacks and housing not much better than what one saw in "The Grapes of Wrath".
When one is speaking of builing entire areas of affordable housing cheaply, pre-fabricated and or "assembly line" construction is the way to go. Levittown amoung other places were all built along the same process. Workers moved down the line builing the exact same model, block, after block, after block.
Such homes probably were not meant to last a family forever, but just something that would do until they could move on. However in many cases, persons stayed put and redid their homes to suit. Again with Levittown, one can find homes that have been remodeled, additions added and so forth to the point they hardly resemble the shoe boxes they once were.
L.
Lustron house - Wikipedia
Wow, I'd never heard of these, before. Here's an interesting video about saving a Lustron home. (Thanks, YouTube!)
Like Bill Turner points out, these homes still look as fresh as the day they were built. And still have their original porcelain over steel "shingled" roofs. We have a few scattered randomly in the area in addition to the ones Ben mentioned, including one accented with porcelain enamel diamonds! Forget vinyl siding.
Radio reception inside is a different matter, however.
Radio reception inside is a different matter, however.
> For a young GI,his wife and probably one or more youngsters, owning their own home (with indoor plumbing, hot and cold water, along with all the mod cons), at such an early age was really unheard of. <
Not post-WWII. The GI Bill was passed in 1944 and not only provided a first home for veterans (through loan guarantees), but also a college education. It was among the most successful government programs in U.S. history:
Not post-WWII. The GI Bill was passed in 1944 and not only provided a first home for veterans (through loan guarantees), but also a college education. It was among the most successful government programs in U.S. history:
The Best Years of Our Lives
Great film! One of the best at showing just how hard some men had it after being "de-mobed" and returning home, only to find "home" wasn't what it once was.
Best bits to moi:
The young man who looses an arm in service, and thinks he is going to loose his girl and all chances at being a husband and father, only to have the girl step right up to the plate.
The aforementioned service man (the one who walks through that yard of junked air planes), who finally finds a happy life after being throw over by that hussy of a wife (who apparently spent the duration on her back).
L.
Great film! One of the best at showing just how hard some men had it after being "de-mobed" and returning home, only to find "home" wasn't what it once was.
Best bits to moi:
The young man who looses an arm in service, and thinks he is going to loose his girl and all chances at being a husband and father, only to have the girl step right up to the plate.
The aforementioned service man (the one who walks through that yard of junked air planes), who finally finds a happy life after being throw over by that hussy of a wife (who apparently spent the duration on her back).
L.
beadsobleach
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
- Messages
- 179
Gas-Station
Working as a land surveyor back east, I saw one of these, at the time it reminded me of those old gas stations that used porcelain panels for the building. It was on a small lot and the whole yard was asphalt. I remember thinking all you needed was a hose to do the yard work. I wonder if its still there, I'll have to try to find it someday.
Working as a land surveyor back east, I saw one of these, at the time it reminded me of those old gas stations that used porcelain panels for the building. It was on a small lot and the whole yard was asphalt. I remember thinking all you needed was a hose to do the yard work. I wonder if its still there, I'll have to try to find it someday.
