 I have lived in a Lustron home for over 12 years...
" -Well that’s how the page used to start. Actually I used to live in a Lustron House for just over 16 years- but I have moved. I purchased a home in September 2004, built of traditional materials. Living in a Lustron had it’s moments but I don’t miss it. I never knew how much I missed a basement, wood floors, plaster and painted walls and so on until I moved back into a “normal” house. I was considering removing this web site from my server but it has remained very popular and receives a lot of hits yearly. If you found my web site about Lustrons through a search and are interested in Lustron Home history or repair information, please go to the Yahoo Lustron Group BBS for help. There you will meet lots of people with the same interests as you who can help you with all of your questions.
Thanks and enjoy your Lustron,
Scott Vargo
Former Lustron Dweller
(...back to the site;) The funniest quote I ever heard from a Lustron owner was a lady in a newspaper article. She said it was like "Living in a
Lunchbox."  Mine is a 2 bedroom yellow & white Westchester in Lombard IL. Model
2, #01576. It has a closed in front porch, and a 20' X 10' addition on the back. I have received many newspaper articles and pamphlets about the house from friends over the years. We have a huge
collection of magnets on most of the walls. It has a brand new forced air furnace that still radiates heat through the ceiling. The attic
still has the asbestos insulating tiles, but we never go up there. It stays cool in the hot Chicago summers with one A/C window unit in the master bedroom, and a large wall unit in the
back addition. Lots of shade on the lot helps too. In the winter we use the 3M window film, and it really helps. Over the years living in my Lustron, at times I have sat and wondered what it was like for the first family to live in their brand new Lustron home. It had to be thrilling living in such a
new innovation. You had to be the talk of the block. Today my neighbors all identify me as the "people in the tile house".
I realized that most new Lustron owners probably didn't even have Television at first. Since the television wasn't actually affordable to most average income families until the mid 50's,
most new Lustron owners probably spent time 'watching' the AM radio  for a number of
years. Hot and humid summers were probably uncomfortable in Lustrons, since affordable, window mounted A/C units weren't even invented until the 60's. There were probably a lot of
those metal fans spinning about, powered by the groundless electrical outlets. Yikes! (We found an original metal Hoover Vacuum that may have been here since new. It weighs about
50 lbs, and it will short out and arc against any exposed metal surface in the house. BZZZZZTTT!!  -We don't use "Jaws" anymore..LOL!)
Winters were no doubt drafty in a Lustron, since there wasn't 3M window film or door stripping. And those oil burner furnaces were not very efficient. Brrrrr....
|
