One of the displays in the Ohio History Center in Columbus, Ohio is a Lustron home.
In response to the housing shortage following World War II, the Lustron Corporation in Columbus, Ohio produced prefabricated enameled steel houses. These low-maintenance, durable houses were designed for modern families who had little time or interest in repairing and maintaining conventional houses. There were three Lustron models: Westchester, Newport, and Meadowbrook. All models were available with either two or three bedrooms.
One of the reasons for the failure of Lustron, according to the display, was production problems:
“Initially, Carl Strandlund, president of Lustron, had promised 100 houses per day. The company needed to produce at least 35 to balance its costs and revenue, but they only produced an average of 15 houses a day. On their best day, they produced 26 houses. Some parts were still being made by hand, which meant that the factory could produce certain parts quickly that had to be stored while waiting for the rest to be completed.”
In addition, the Lustron houses were priced higher than conventional houses and were out of the range of many buyers. In 1950, Lustron ceased production.
More museum exhibits
Museums 101: The Gordon House by Frank Lloyd Wright (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Butterfield Cottage (Photo Diary)
Willamette Heritage Center: The Jason Lee House (photo diary)
Museums 101: The Maki Homestead Cabin (Photo Diary)
Fort Missoula: Homestead cabin (photo diary)
Museums 101: Homestead Cabin and Barn (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Anderson Homestead (Photo Diary)
Carillon Historical Park: A Shaker building (photo diary)