Lustron house
Encyclopedia
Lustron houses are prefabricated enameled steel
houses developed in the post-World War II
era United States
in response to the shortage of house
s for returning GIs. The low maintenance, extremely durable, baked on porcelain enamel finish was expected to attract modern families who might not have the time or interest in repairing and painting conventional wood and plaster houses.
loan
to manufacture mass-produced prefabricated homes that featured enamel
-coated
steel panels. Led by Chicago industrialist and inventor Carl Strandlund
, who had worked with constructing prefabricated gas stations, Lustron offered a home that would "defy weather, wear, and time."
Strandlund's Lustron Corporation, a division of the Chicago Vitreous Enamel Corporation, set out to construct 15,000 homes in 1947 and 30,000 in 1948. From its plant in Columbus, Ohio
(the former Curtiss-Wright
factory), the corporation eventually constructed around 3,000 Lustron homes between 1948 and 1950. The houses sold for between $8,500 and $9,500, according to a March 1949 article in the Columbus Dispatch—about 25 percent less than comparable conventional housing. By November 1949, however, a Lustron's average selling price had come up to $10,500.
Most of the known Lustron houses were constructed in 36 of the United States including Alaska. However, some were constructed in Venezuela, South America for families of oil industry employees.
Billed as a way to maximize pleasure and minimize work, Lustron advertising contended that the Lustron home would create a "new and richer experience for the entire family," where "Mother . . . has far more hours," the "youngsters . . . have fewer worries," and there would be "far more leisure for Dad." How this would be accomplished with just a choice of housing was not clarified.
Arguably the most popular of the Lustron homes was the two bedroom, 1085 ft2 "Westchester Deluxe" model. In total, there were three "lines" of Lustrons: the Westchester, Newport, and Meadowbrook. With the exception of the Esquire (which had been the prototype’s name) each Lustron type was available as either a two- or three-bedroom model.
Prefabricated housing had existed before the Lustron home came on the market. However, it was Lustron's promises of assembly-line efficiency and modular construction that set it apart from its competitors. The homes were designed by Morris Beckman
of Chicago firm Beckman and Blass, and may have been loosely based on designs for the Cemesto
houses in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
. With enameled steel panels inside and out, as well as steel framing, the homes stood out next to more traditional dwellings made of wood and plaster.
Lustron homes were usually built on concrete slab foundations with no basement. However, about 40 Lustron homes have been reported to have basements. Their sturdy steel frame was constructed on-site by a team of local workers who assembled the house piece-by-piece from a special Lustron Corporation delivery truck. The assembly team, who worked for the local Lustron builder-dealer followed a special manual from Lustron, and were supposed to complete a house in 360 man-hours.
s. All models featured metal cabinetry, a service and storage area, and metal ceiling tiles. In the Westchester Deluxe models, the living room and master bedrooms featured built-in wall units. As an added option, customers were presented with the unique Thor-brand combination clothes- and dish-washer, which incorporated the kitchen sink.
There were two major window types in Lustron homes: “tripartite” and casement. The tripartite consisted of a central light flanked by two four-light casement windows. Three-light and/or square aluminum casements with interior screens were standard on all Lustrons. Add-on storm windows were available for residents in colder climates.
Westchester Deluxe two- and three-bedroom models were unique in that they boasted a tripartite bay window in the living room area: no other Lustron line included this feature. In Westchester Deluxe two-bedroom models, additional tripartite windows were located in the dining area and bedrooms. For Westchester Deluxe three-bedroom models, tripartite windows were found in the dining area and two of the bedrooms, as well as the living room bay. Though the Westchester Standard line had no bay windows, it had tripartite windows in the same rooms as the Westchester Deluxe two-bedroom model.
Newport two- and three-bedroom models, which had no bay windows, offered tripartite windows in the dining/living room area. A model of the Meadowbrook home shows that the design would have provided two tripartite windows, both in the dining/living room area, similar to those in the Newport line.
The roof likewise consisted of porcelain-enameled steel tiles, which were installed shingle-style. The front and rear doors featured a single light of translucent, rippled glass. As seen in the chart above, floors in the Westchester Deluxe models were asphalt tile, but in other models (Westchester Standard, Newport, and Meadowbrook), floors were installed as a “builder’s option.”
Lustron offered two garage models, the "G-1" and "G-2," which were available in the same colors as the houses. The garage was most often constructed with wood framing, Lustron panel siding, and Lustron steel roof tiles. Lustron also provided carports and awnings.
in 1950, despite being an extremely well funded, well-publicized, government-supported enterprise manufacturing a desperately needed product. Production delays, the lack of a viable distribution
strategy
, and the escalating prices for the finished product all contributed to the failure. Additionally, local zoning codes also played a part: in Columbus, for example, an ordinance prohibited homes with steel chimneys. Some accounts suggest an organized effort from the existing housing industry to stop Strandlund, comparing him to Preston Tucker (ironic, because Strandlund's first choice for the Lustron factory building, the Dodge Chicago Aircraft Engine Plant in Illinois, was actually granted to Tucker to build his automobiles).
, where 60 were installed at the U.S. Marine Corps military base
. All Westchester Deluxe models, they came in "Surf Blue," "Maize Yellow," and pink, the last of which was decidedly unpopular among some military families. In January 2006, it was announced that the homes, which had grown "too small for most families," would be eliminated from base housing and would be given away. Fifty-eight of Quantico's Lustrons were offered for free (with an application and $8,000 deposit) in 2006, yet only one individual came forward and acquired a home, which was disassembled and moved to storage in Delaware. Twenty-three of Quantico's Lustrons were demolished in 2006, and an additional thirty-four homes were razed in 2007. The two remaining homes at the base are on the National Register of Historic Places
, and are currently used as maintenance buildings.
" brand combination washing machine/dish washer, and in cold regions, the ceiling's radiant heat systems were often replaced.
Currently Lombard, Illinois in Dupage county has the most Lustron houses at 129.
Vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in U.S. English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C...
houses developed in the post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
era United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in response to the shortage of house
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
s for returning GIs. The low maintenance, extremely durable, baked on porcelain enamel finish was expected to attract modern families who might not have the time or interest in repairing and painting conventional wood and plaster houses.
Development
In January 1947, the newly formed Lustron Corporation announced that it had received a $12.5-million Reconstruction Finance CorporationReconstruction Finance Corporation
The Reconstruction Finance Corporation was an independent agency of the United States government, established and chartered by the US Congress in 1932, Act of January 22, 1932, c. 8, 47 Stat. 5, during the administration of President Herbert Hoover. It was modeled after the War Finance Corporation...
loan
Loan
A loan is a type of debt. Like all debt instruments, a loan entails the redistribution of financial assets over time, between the lender and the borrower....
to manufacture mass-produced prefabricated homes that featured enamel
Vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in U.S. English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C...
-coated
Coating
Coating is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object, usually referred to as the substrate. In many cases coatings are applied to improve surface properties of the substrate, such as appearance, adhesion, wetability, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and scratch resistance...
steel panels. Led by Chicago industrialist and inventor Carl Strandlund
Carl Strandlund
Carl Strandlund was a Swedish-born American inventor and entrepreneur. -Background:Carl Gunnar Strandlund was born in Sundsvall in Västernorrland County, Sweden. Strandlund came to the United States at the age of four and grew up in Moline, Illinois. As a young man, he took correspondence school...
, who had worked with constructing prefabricated gas stations, Lustron offered a home that would "defy weather, wear, and time."
Strandlund's Lustron Corporation, a division of the Chicago Vitreous Enamel Corporation, set out to construct 15,000 homes in 1947 and 30,000 in 1948. From its plant in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
(the former Curtiss-Wright
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
factory), the corporation eventually constructed around 3,000 Lustron homes between 1948 and 1950. The houses sold for between $8,500 and $9,500, according to a March 1949 article in the Columbus Dispatch—about 25 percent less than comparable conventional housing. By November 1949, however, a Lustron's average selling price had come up to $10,500.
Most of the known Lustron houses were constructed in 36 of the United States including Alaska. However, some were constructed in Venezuela, South America for families of oil industry employees.
Billed as a way to maximize pleasure and minimize work, Lustron advertising contended that the Lustron home would create a "new and richer experience for the entire family," where "Mother . . . has far more hours," the "youngsters . . . have fewer worries," and there would be "far more leisure for Dad." How this would be accomplished with just a choice of housing was not clarified.
Models
Model comparison
| Westchester Standard | Westchester Deluxe | Newport | Meadowbrook | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # of Bedrooms | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Square footage | 1085 ft2 | 1209 ft2 | 1085 ft2 | 1209 ft2 | 775 ft2 | 1023 ft2 | 713 ft2 | 961 ft2 |
| Separate Living/Dining Rooms | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Heat System | Radiant Convection | Radiant Convection | Radiant Panel | Radiant Panel | Radiant Convection | Radiant Convection | Radiant Convection | Radiant Convection |
| China Pass-through Kitchen/Dining Room |
No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Living Room Bay Window | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Master Bedroom Built-in Vanity | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Bathroom Built-in Vanity | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Flooring Type | Builder's option | Builder's option | Asphalt tile | Asphalt tile | Builder's option | Builder's option | Builder's option | Builder's option |
Design features
Morris Beckman (architect)
Morris Beckman was an architect who designed numerous buildings that eventually were listed on the National Register of Historic Places.These include, for example, the Peter Hansen House , which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Hughes County, South Dakota.Other works are...
of Chicago firm Beckman and Blass, and may have been loosely based on designs for the Cemesto
Cemesto
Cemesto is a sturdy, light-weight, waterproof and fire-resistant composite building material made from a core of sugar cane fiber insulating board surfaced on both sides with asbestos and cement. Its name is a portmanteau word combining "cem" from "cement" and "esto" from "asbestos."Cemesto was...
houses in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge is a city in Anderson and Roane counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, about west of Knoxville. Oak Ridge's population was 27,387 at the 2000 census...
. With enameled steel panels inside and out, as well as steel framing, the homes stood out next to more traditional dwellings made of wood and plaster.
Lustron homes were usually built on concrete slab foundations with no basement. However, about 40 Lustron homes have been reported to have basements. Their sturdy steel frame was constructed on-site by a team of local workers who assembled the house piece-by-piece from a special Lustron Corporation delivery truck. The assembly team, who worked for the local Lustron builder-dealer followed a special manual from Lustron, and were supposed to complete a house in 360 man-hours.
Color options
The Ohio Historic Preservation Office recognizes eight exterior colors: "Surf Blue," "Blue-green," "Dove Gray," "Maize Yellow," "Desert Tan," Green, Pink, and White. Window surrounds were primarily ivory-colored.Interiors
The interiors were designed with an eye toward the modern age, space-saving, and ease of cleaning. All Lustrons had metal-paneled interior walls that were most often gray. To maximize space, all interior rooms and closets featured pocket doorPocket door
A pocket door is a sliding door that disappears, when fully open, into a compartment in the adjacent wall. Pocket doors are used for architectural effect, or when there is no room for the swing of a hinged door. They usually travel on rollers suspended from an overhead track, although some also...
s. All models featured metal cabinetry, a service and storage area, and metal ceiling tiles. In the Westchester Deluxe models, the living room and master bedrooms featured built-in wall units. As an added option, customers were presented with the unique Thor-brand combination clothes- and dish-washer, which incorporated the kitchen sink.
Window types
Westchester Deluxe two- and three-bedroom models were unique in that they boasted a tripartite bay window in the living room area: no other Lustron line included this feature. In Westchester Deluxe two-bedroom models, additional tripartite windows were located in the dining area and bedrooms. For Westchester Deluxe three-bedroom models, tripartite windows were found in the dining area and two of the bedrooms, as well as the living room bay. Though the Westchester Standard line had no bay windows, it had tripartite windows in the same rooms as the Westchester Deluxe two-bedroom model.
Newport two- and three-bedroom models, which had no bay windows, offered tripartite windows in the dining/living room area. A model of the Meadowbrook home shows that the design would have provided two tripartite windows, both in the dining/living room area, similar to those in the Newport line.
Roof, flooring, and other details
Temperature control
In most models, the homes were heated with an oil burning furnace that directed hot air into an enclosed space above the metal ceilings. The walls contained a one inch blanket of fiberglass wool insulation.Identifying marks
Perhaps the most notable Lustron feature is the zig-zag downspout accent on the buildings’ front and rear corners. In the two-bedroom Westchester models, the downspout pillar doubles as a support for the open porch, yet—for various reasons—the downspout accent was removed by many owners.Additions
Demise of the Lustron Corporation
The Lustron Corporation declared bankruptcyBankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in 1950, despite being an extremely well funded, well-publicized, government-supported enterprise manufacturing a desperately needed product. Production delays, the lack of a viable distribution
Distribution (business)
Product distribution is one of the four elements of the marketing mix. An organization or set of organizations involved in the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption by a consumer or business user.The other three parts of the marketing mix are product, pricing,...
strategy
Strategy
Strategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked...
, and the escalating prices for the finished product all contributed to the failure. Additionally, local zoning codes also played a part: in Columbus, for example, an ordinance prohibited homes with steel chimneys. Some accounts suggest an organized effort from the existing housing industry to stop Strandlund, comparing him to Preston Tucker (ironic, because Strandlund's first choice for the Lustron factory building, the Dodge Chicago Aircraft Engine Plant in Illinois, was actually granted to Tucker to build his automobiles).
Lustrons on a Marine base?
The largest assembly of Lustrons in one geographic location was in Quantico, VirginiaQuantico, Virginia
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there are 561 people, 295 households, and 107 families living in the town. The population density is . There are 359 housing units at an average density of .-Racial composition:...
, where 60 were installed at the U.S. Marine Corps military base
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
. All Westchester Deluxe models, they came in "Surf Blue," "Maize Yellow," and pink, the last of which was decidedly unpopular among some military families. In January 2006, it was announced that the homes, which had grown "too small for most families," would be eliminated from base housing and would be given away. Fifty-eight of Quantico's Lustrons were offered for free (with an application and $8,000 deposit) in 2006, yet only one individual came forward and acquired a home, which was disassembled and moved to storage in Delaware. Twenty-three of Quantico's Lustrons were demolished in 2006, and an additional thirty-four homes were razed in 2007. The two remaining homes at the base are on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, and are currently used as maintenance buildings.
Preservation
About 2,000 Lustron homes are still in existence in 36 states. Many have been modified with additions, remodeled kitchens, vinyl windows, composite roofs, new heating systems, sheet rock interior walls, painted exteriors, and siding. A small group of Lustron owners are preserving the original condition of their homes and are urging others to do the same, though very few entirely original Lustron homes exist. Over time, Lustron owners often removed the "ThorThor Washing Machine
The Thor washing machine was the first electric clothes washer sold commercially in the United States. Produced by the Chicago-based Hurley Electric Laundry Equipment Company, the 1907 Thor is believed to be the first electrically powered washer ever manufactured, crediting Hurley as the inventor...
" brand combination washing machine/dish washer, and in cold regions, the ceiling's radiant heat systems were often replaced.
Threats
Demolition continues to threaten Lustrons where rising property values attract buyers who desire larger homes of modern construction. Other major threats to Lustron homes' integrity include: severe weather (tornadoes, hurricanes), vehicular or other impact, and lack of local zoning/preservation/aesthetic legislation.Current status
The promise of a home that never needs painting or maintenance has been somewhat validated after over 55 years of service. The enamel steel roof "shingles" are still keeping many Lustron residents in the dry after five decades of no maintenance. Several homes feature exterior wall panels that never needed painting are intact and rust-free. Historically, enamel metal objects have been known to survive over one hundred years.Currently Lombard, Illinois in Dupage county has the most Lustron houses at 129.
See also
- List of Lustron houses
- Dymaxion houseDymaxion houseThe Dymaxion House was developed by inventor and architect Buckminster Fuller to address several perceived shortcomings with existing homebuilding techniques. Fuller designed several versions of the house at different times, but they were all factory manufactured kits, assembled on site, intended...
- manufactured housingManufactured housingManufactured housing is a type of prefabricated housing that is largely assembled in factories and then transported to sites of use...
- prefabricated homePrefabricated homePrefabricated homes, often referred to as prefab homes, are dwellings manufactured off-site in advance, usually in standard sections that can be easily shipped and assembled....
- LeisuramaLeisuramaLeisurama is a development of vacation homes in Montauk, New York, that was constructed between 1963 and 1965 following the developer's success with a model home at the 1959 American Exhibition in Moscow...
External links
- LustronPreservation.Org features the history, photos, locations, preservation guidelines and construction drawings. Was initiated by the US National Trust for Historic Preservation.
- LustronConnection.Org Pictures and stories of Lustron homes from across America.
- LustronRegistry.Org A user-supported effort to list all Lustrons ever built. New listings, corrections & updates welcome.
- Lustron Discussion Group Join Lustron owners, future owners and historians of these Homes of Steel and discuss their past, future and preservation. Includes news items, repair and maintenance, photo sharing, Lustron ownership discussions.
- The Illustrious Lustron: A Guide for the Disassembly and Preservation of America’s Modern Metal Marvel Available for download. Includes photographs and historical information. Based on the disassembly of the "Krowne Lustron" of Arlington, Virginia.
- Arlington's Lustron Houses. The story of Arlington, Virginia's Lustrons, and their "Krowne Lustron" which was donated, disassembled, stored, and then partially reconstructed inside the New York Museum of Modern Art for a three month exhibit in 2008.
- Lustron.Org website for the 2003 Emmy-winning film "Lustron, The house America's Been Waiting For."
- The Prices Make These Model Homes A Steel. A 2006 news article about the Quantico marine base Lustrons being given away.
- Lustron On-Line (2008-02) by NCPTT of the National Park Service An article describing the need for, and the development of the www.lustronpreservation.org website; link shown separately at top of this listing. The article is prepared under the National Center for Preservation Technology & Training - Architecture & Engineering.