Lustron Stories

by Charles J. Mintz, Shannon Thomas Perich (Contributor), Jeffrey Head (Contributor)

The Lustron Corporation manufactured porcelain-baked, enamel-coated all-steel houses between 1948 and 1950 in Columbus, OH. Virtually everything—exterior siding, roof, interior walls, cabinets, and ceilings—was made out of this material. The components were shipped to site on specially designed trailers and assembled by local contractors using only wrenches. About 2,500 Lustrons were sold, mostly in the eastern United States, but as far afield as Miami and Los Alamos. Roughly two-thirds are still being used today.
A remarkable cross section of individuals and families live in these modest (~1100 sq. ft.) homes. While certainly diverse in age and place in life, the homeowners are still firmly working class. Everyone who lives in a Lustron home has an opinion about it. The material is miserable to cut or drill into. Repairs are more about metalworking and enamel finishing than carpentry or house painting. And magnets tend to be a popular solution for hanging objects inside and outside the steel walls.
Four years ago, Charles Mintz set out to photograph the people living in these homes. The residents, owners, or both were photographed outside and occasionally inside. Mintz used a large format wooden camera and available light. This book features 65 of the resulting photographs and essays from Shannon Thomas Perich, Curator of the Photographic History Collection at Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, and Jeffrey Head, author and architecture critic.

208 pages, Paperback

Published September 5, 2016

Reviews

[Angie Kennedy · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were three short essays, including one by the photographer. I wish there were some comments from the homeowners. Mintz mentioned that one couple were the original owners of the home...I'd like to know how many others might have been or how people came to own a Lustron home. I was happy to see the Lustron home from my hometown in Ohio featured, even though I did not know the owner who lived there at the time of the photograph. (I believe it sold to a new owner in 2019.)

[Mathea Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know that a picture is worth 1000 words and all that, but I was hoping for a little more "story" in the book called "Lustron Stories"... still fun to see such a historic and neat house get some recognition! I love my Lustron.

[Cindy May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only wish we could have gotten a look inside more of the peoples' homes, but I suppose not everyone is comfortable putting their lives on view for the public. I give credit to those who did agree to be photographed for the book. I also would have liked to have read a bit about each owner and what motivated them to buy a Lustron house in the first place. Hence, I feel the book would have been better titled since there aren't actually any stories in this book.

[Sandybear76]

beautiful photos but no stories with the photos. Large essay introduction and large essay afterword.