Mount Oak Estate (01-24)

Historical narrative

Mount Oak was constructed for John Mullikin Bowie on the Mitchellville site where an earlier Mullikin family dwelling, built circa 1901, once stood. Mount Oak is believed to be a mail-order house, possibly from Sears, Roebuck & Co. Some 75,000 of these precut “kit homes,” offered in more than 370 designs, were sold through the Sears Modern Homes program (1908–1942). Depending on the design, the homes, which were built from 10,000 to more than 30,000 parts, sold for approximately $600 to $6,000. They were constructed with such high-quality materials that many remain standing today.

Watercolor

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