J. P. McKee Lustron House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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J. P. McKee Lustron House
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 Location in Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Location | 519 College Avenue, Jackson, Alabama |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1949 |
| Architect | Koch, Carl & Associates; Lustron Corporation |
| Architectural style | Lustron house |
| MPS | Lustron Houses in Alabama, MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 00000132 |
| Added to NRHP | February 24, 2000 |
The J. P. McKee Lustron House is a special historic home in Jackson, Alabama. It's made of strong, shiny enameled steel and was built in a factory, then put together on site. This type of house is called a Lustron house.
This house is one of only two Lustron homes in Jackson, Alabama. The other one, the Doit W. McClellan Lustron House, is very close by. Lustron houses were only made for a short time, between 1948 and 1950. About 2,495 of these unique homes were built, and around 2,000 of them are still standing today. Many of these houses have been changed over the years.
In Alabama, 20 Lustron houses were ordered, but it's not clear if all of them were built. By the year 2000, only 11 were still left in the state. Experts from the Alabama Historical Commission think the two houses in Jackson might have been the very first Lustron homes built in Alabama. The J. P. McKee Lustron House is part of a special group called the "Lustron Houses in Alabama" on the National Register of Historic Places. It was added to this list on February 24, 2000, because of its important and unique design.
History of the McKee Lustron House
Both of the Lustron houses in Jackson were built in 1949. They were put up by a local company called McKee Construction Company, owned by J. P. McKee. He was also a dealer for Lustron homes.
To show off these new homes, an "open house" event was held starting on April 16, 1949. This allowed people to come and see what these modern, factory-made houses looked like. By the year 2000, the outside of both houses was still in almost perfect original condition. At that time, both homes were being used as rental properties.
What is a Lustron House?
Lustron houses were a new idea for homes after World War II. There was a big need for housing, and these homes were designed to be built quickly and affordably. They were made in a factory in Ohio and then shipped to different places to be put together.
The main idea behind Lustron homes was to make them very strong and easy to take care of. They were built using steel frames and covered with panels of enameled steel. This material is like the coating on a bathtub or a kitchen appliance, making it very durable and resistant to rust and fire.
Design of the J. P. McKee Lustron House
The J. P. McKee Lustron House is a specific model called the "Westchester" with two bedrooms. It still has its original roof and wall panels, which are made of that special enameled steel. It also has a unique "zig-zag" support column, which was a common feature in Lustron designs.
Lustron houses came in four different colors. The McKee Lustron House is in a color called "Desert Tan." These homes were known for their modern look and their strong, long-lasting materials.
