This early prefabricated cottage was one of just 22 Lustron houses built in Georgia. Lustron, which was patented by Roy Strandlund, was the name for the enameled steel panels used in the construction of these houses. It was promoted for durability and ease of maintenance, and since it was essentially a kit home, consistent pricing was an important factor, as well. The prototype for the houses was known as the “Esquire” model and designed by architects Roy Blass and Morris Beckman for the Chicago Vitreous Corporation.
The Americus Lustron was built by the Hav-A-Home Lustron franchise in nearby Albany. It’s an example of the 1085-square-foot Westchester Deluxe two-bedroom model and was designed by Roy Blass.
According to the National Register of Historic Places, “The interior of the house features a living room/dining room area, a kitchen, utility room, a bathroom, two bedrooms, and closet space…Exterior and interior wall corners are rounded and contribute to the clean, streamlined look of the Lustron home. Design features include built-in steel wall furniture and closet space with sliding doors. The built-in unit between the living room and front bedroom contains a mirrored bookcase on one side and a mirrored vanity and counter top with drawers and doors for closet space on the other side…Between the dining area and kitchen is a buffet with shelves and drawers on one side and kitchen cabinets with shelves and drawers on the other side, all finished in porcelain enameled steel. To assist in food serving, a counter pass-through is placed in this unit…The kitchen features the original enameled-steel cabinets, however, the combination dishwasher/clothes washer was removed.”
National Register of Historic Places
