Lustron houses were early modular homes built entirely of enameled steel. I wrote about a pair of them in Anderson, Indiana, last week, unsure of any more nearby. Sure enough, I was alerted to a third mere minutes after the post went live! I’m glad that Cunningham’s Law still rings true.
Cunningham’s Law is credited to a computer programmer named Ward Cunningham. It states, “the best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question, it’s to post the wrong answer1.” I’ve occasionally employed my Shideler corollary here, which posits that the best way to get the proper answer is to only post a partial answer. That’s what led me to the third Lustron in Anderson.
The United States experienced a housing boom after World War II. The explosion prompted the creation of the Lustron Corporation in 1948. The company produced affordable and durable modular steel homes. Despite innovative designs and iconic appearances, the company faced financial pressure from the start and declared bankruptcy in 1950. Today, more than 1,500 of the 2,500 homes it built are still standing2.
A couple people told me Clyde Norbury built all of Anderson’s Lustron homes in 19493. The two I took photos of last month sit on West 11th Street and West Vineyard Street. A reader, decotriumph, told me about the first, and I used a website called Lustron Locator to find the second. Powered by Google Maps, Lustron Locator features houses listed in Tom Fetters’ book, The Lustron Home: The History of a Postwar Prefabricated Housing Experiment.
Unfortunately, the Lustron Locator missed the third house. Sitting on Dresser Drive in Forest Hills, it’s a Westchester or Westchester Deluxe like Anderson’s others. The company’s most popular design4, the Westchester Deluxe featured seven closets and pocket doors, along with built-in metal bookcases, china cabinets, and vanities5.
As it turns out, a friend from work recently moved into Forest Hills and knew about the house. I wouldn’t be shocked to learn that more Lustron homes lurk across Anderson and the rest of Madison County. As far as I know aside from Muncie’s, the next-closest is in Tipton.
Sources Cited
1 McGeady, S. (2010, May 31). Jurisimprudence. The New York Times [New York]. Web. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
2 About (n.d.). The Lustron Locator. Web. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
3 Madison County Office of Information & GIS Services. (2024). Parcel ID: 48-11-02-402-048.000-003. Madison County, Indiana Assessor. map, Anderson, IN.
4 Danaparamita, A. (2013, July 29). Lustrons: Building an American Dream House. The National Trust for Historic Preservation [Washington, D.C.]. Web. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
5 Heuchert, E. (n.d.). Lustron Homes. Minneapolis Historical [Minneapolis]. Web. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
Clyde Norbury lived two houses away from my family on Winding Way in Edgewood. The Lustron home on Vineyard is easily viewed from the 16th tee at Anderson Country Club. As of today, Oct. 20, 2024, it is in excellent condition.
Thanks for the info!!