On Sunday I took another walking tour of a little 50s neighborhood in Pittsfield, Mass. – which is right next door to my quieter village of Lenox. Pittsfield was going gangbusters in the 50s, mostly due to a big General Electric manufacturing facility that employed some 15,000. In addition, there was still lots of manufacturing all around, feeding the GE business but also paper mills. All are now mostly gone – but the 50s neighborhoods — mostly Capes, colonial and some very simply boxy ranches – remain.
So I’m walking all around snapping pictures of shutters and doors and awnings and lampposts of all designs and colors – when around a bend I spot this amazing storybook ranch. If you look closely, it’s really just a small boxy ranch, but the owners added the trim and voila – this one is ready for Hansel and Gretel. I love it!
I’ve created a special flickr group for Storybook Ranch Houses. There are just two photos — and one member — me — so far. So, if you spot any of these picturesque ranch homes in your hood – grab a pic – start a flickr account (it is way easy) and upload your photo to the Storybook Ranch Houses Group here. I feel a new obsession coming on – help me feed it!
Marci says
This storybook ranch house is diagonal from the house I live in! We almost bought that house when it went up for sale a few years ago.
Karyn Hartman says
My brother-in-law lives in Lee, so I’ll be searching this out on my next visit. Love it, and thanks for sharing it!
Ann-Marie Meyers says
I have my eye on one in Fort Worth. If it will just stay available until I am ready to buy next spring it is all mine! The bathroom is maroon with pink trim, rather than pink with maroon trim, but you can’t have everything.
Lara says
I live in Dalton! I know where this house is! That is so interesting…and I’m so happy to see someone else with such a passion for the mid century. Thanks for the great site!
christi Harris says
There are tons of these houses in Liberal Kansas (which isn’t Liberal). My uncle lived in a neighborhood full of them. Wish I could send you pictures, but I haven’t been there in many years.
Sumac Sue says
The paint and landscaping on this storybook house are nicely restrained. A few concrete trolls and geese in the yard would turn it into Disneyland.
I love the descending row of gables in the second photo.