John C. Heinz House

John C. Heinz House. West Virginia 9. , The house was constructed by John C. Heinz in 1924 and 1925. Heinz sold the property to Samuel C. Heinz in September of 1924, and the deed specifically mentions the house "under construction." , The house style, known as “The Alhambra”, appeared in the 1918, 1919, 1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1928, and 1929 editions of the Sears, Roebuck and Co. mail order catalogs. Described as “an Effective Mission style of architecture (the exterior appearance of which), as well as the interior arrangement, will appeal to anyone who likes massiveness and plenty of room.” The Alhambra's details and features included “Eight rooms and one bath. Stucco exterior; curvilinear parapets and dormers; overhanging eaves; open porch and terrace in front. Fireplace in living room; built-in sideboard in dining room; [and] built-in seat in sun room.” Depending on the amenities selected, the cost of the Alhambra ranged from $1,969 to $3,134. , The Sears, Roebuck and Co. Modern Homes Program was initiated in 1908 with its first catalog devoted to homes. The program rapidly expanded in the northeastern United States. The national building boom of the 1920s was in part made possible by the catalog housing industry. Sears sold 30,000 homes by mail in 1925 and 50,000 in 1930. The success of the program is attributable to the architect-designed adaptations of popular styles: “Sears houses followed rather than set architectural styles” (Stevenson and Jandl 1986).