Barcroft's Lustron Home

Barcroft had a Lustron home at 4647 3rd Street South from 1949 to 2007. It was the home of Lilly Mary David for many years until about 1993, then the Caos. It sold in December, 2006 for the assessed value of the lot, with nothing for the Lustron home. It was destroyed in April, 2007, not long after this photo was taken.

Lustron Houses

an excerpt from

Arlingtons' Most Endangered Places

by the Arlington Heritage Alliance in 2006

Only five Lustrons remain in the County, including one that has been dismantled and is awaiting reconstruction and restoration at another location
Previously included on AHA's most endangered list in 2001 and 2005

History

Built between 1948 and 1950, Lustron houses were inexpensive prefabricated steel-paneled structures designed to address the post-World War II housing crisis. Causing a short-lived national sensation, the Ohio-based Lustron Corporation built 2,500 Lustrons across the country-including 11 in Arlington-that relied on an assembly-line manufacturing process similar to that used in the automobile industry. The houses' all-steel porcelain enamel construction, radiant ceiling heating system, and factory production demonstrated how engineering developments could improve on earlier prefabricated housing projects.

The house's contemporary ranch design, large picture windows, open floor plan, and space-saving built-ins also offered buyers exciting new architectural features along with modern conveniences. Before declaring bankruptcy in 1950 and ceasing production, the Lustron Corporation offered several different models and color schemes. All Lustrons built in Arlington were the Westchester Deluxe 02 model. Today, Lustrons are associated with many key elements of postwar American life, most notably attaining the American dream through home ownership.

Threat

Lustrons are threatened both as a very rare building type within the County, but also because the modest homes are vulnerable to the rampant tear-downs that have replaced many of Arlington's historic houses with large-scale houses. When Lustrons were included on AHA's endangered list last year, only seven of the metal houses remained in the County. Today, only six Lustrons are left in Arlington, and the fate of one hangs in the balance.

Last August, days before one Lustron owner in Columbia Heights tore down his house, AHA stepped in and helped to salvage dozens of historic pieces for possible reuse in other Lustron restoration efforts. At the same time, the owner of an adjacent Lustron generously agreed to donate his house to the County, if it could be moved off the site and restored elsewhere. For the past year, AHA has worked with County staff to acquire funding and expertise to help with such a move. In late April, the Arlington County Board accepted the donation of the Lustron from its private owner and approved funding for its disassembly and storage, pending the finalization of plans to move it to a County location for reuse as a possible gallery and temporary residence for visiting artists.

County preservation staff painstakingly labeled each component of the building, inside and out, for future restoration. Since May 1st, workers have been carefully dismantling the Lustron panel by panel, following the original technical manual issued by the Lustron Corporation around 1948. AHA is photo-documenting the process and maintaining a detailed disassembly log.

Although this is an important first step in saving this Lustron, its fate remains unclear until funding is secure for its move and reconstruction on County property. At the same time, Arlington's five other Lustrons are at risk of disappearing in the face of development pressures. AHA hopes this listing will shed light on this rare resource and garner support for the preservation of the Lustron now being disassembled, as well as others that are still at risk of being torn down.

Additional information:

Lustrons at Quantico web site: www.lustronsatquantico.com
Lustron documentary web site: www.lustron.org

This page was revised on: July 29, 2006.