This post is part of a monthly series that explores the historical applications of building materials and systems through resources from the Building Technology Heritage Library (BTHL), an online collection of AEC catalogs, brochures, trade publications, and more. The BTHL is a project of the Association for Preservation Technology, an international building preservation organization.
Founded in Chicago in 1872 by traveling salesman Aaron Montgomery Ward, Montgomery Ward Co. started as a dry goods mail-order business with 163 products advertised on a single sheet of paper, designed to bring “city” goods to rural customers. By 1883, the company had expanded its offerings to 10,000 products showcased in a 240-page catalog, rivaled only by that of Sears Roebuck & Co.
Here, the BTHL showcases some of the company’s vast offerings and specialty catalogs for every room of a house.
Montgomery Ward Catalogue No. 84, 1916
With more than 1,000 pages of items, this catalog came to be called the “wish book” for Montgomery Ward products. A quarter of this publication is dedicated to “goods for the home,” including furniture, floor coverings, wallpaper, paint, woodwork, roofing, and hardware.
Paint, 1915
This catalog features paints for walls, flooring, automobiles, and cement as well as instructions for removing old varnish, enameling a tub, and even paintbrush care.
Monuments, Tombstones and Markers, 1925
Montgomery Ward’s grave markers and tombs were available in granite or marble sourced from Vermont, red granite from Missouri, and other materials.
Plumbing Economy, 1914
Montgomery Ward served parts of rural America where indoor plumbing had not yet become standard. To draw these markets, the company sold plumbing fixtures and piping as well as rental tools needed for installation.
Radio, 1924
KDKA in Pittsburgh, the first licensed radio station in America, began broadcasting on Nov. 2, 1920. By 1924, Montgomery Ward had published a 60-page catalog with offerings for the technology that it described as “rapidly becoming a necessary part of our business and social life.”
Correct Wallpapers, 1926
There are nearly 100 different wallpaper samples in this catalog, with prices ranging from 3 cents to 75 cents per roll.
Book of Homes, 1917
With more than 50 different house styles plus a variety of agricultural buildings, this catalog offered kit houses that could be purchased in ready-cut components or as uncut material. While Montgomery Ward also sold the house plans, the company did not provide architectural services, and stated “it is better to see your local architect.”
Building Material, 1921
This catalog features everything from doors and window frames to lumber and metal ceiling tiles.
Plan Your New Kitchen with Wards Sink and Kitchen Cabinets, 1940s
The metal and wood kitchen cabinets advertised in this catalog were available in white, a colorway that was advertised as more sanitary in the early 20th century.
Montgomery Ward Bathroom Fixtures, c. 1955
The company offered toilets, bathtubs, and sinks in sea green, tropical coral, and sky blue, but “at the usual price of white.”
Garden Catalog, 1963
Montgomery Ward also sold items for backyards and gardens, including seeds, tools, and some hardscaping.