Not Sears: Small-town Stickley.
This fine Craftsman-style house at 418 Clinton St., Delaware City, Del., originally caught my eye because it appears to be a Sears house. (There is another, much smaller Sears bungalow which has been documented a couple streets over and several other less documented Sears houses in town).
My understanding is that it's been foreclosed on, and that the previous owner removed the heating system intending to upgrade, but never got the chance. It's diagonally across the street from City Hall. My photo in fact is from City Hall's front steps.
But it's not a Sears kit. The house is a Gustav Stickley design. Stickley being the dean of Craftsman-Mission style from 100 years ago. I have been told it was a cover story a long time ago in House Beautiful or another magazine, but so far I haven't been able to find anything online. I'll have to go back to the paper files in town hall sometime.
It's really very upscale for Delaware City, which has a large number of houses from the 1825-1890 era. The town has expanded just a little since its heyday as the eastern end of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. The old canal (now called "The Branch Canal") still forms the city's southern border. A great little marina uses part of the canal for docks and there's a launch ramp on the other side. That's important because I like boats.
My wife and I pondered buying the house quite some time back and decided not to because we weren't interested in taking on the HVAC work. I don't have any current information on the asking price, but I'm sure it's in the MLS.
I still think this is a wonderful house for the right folks.
If you're interested in saving a serious Craftsman house in a small town (pop. ca 1,700 people, on the Delaware River, one traffic light, and very close to assorted suburbs and cities) this might be the one.
Compared to such houses elsewhere in the country, it has to be a bargain. But I'm no real estate agent and certainly not an appraiser.
I simply appreciate what the house brings to the streetscape.
The realtor's number from the lawn sign is 302-764-4700. I don't have any connection with anyone, just an interest in old houses and a hope that I can help connect a great little house in a nice small town with the right new owner.
Google Maps
General Location: https://www.google.com/...
Clinton Street:
https://www.google.com/...