Historical Homes

A.B. Hunter Home

The A.B. Hunter Home, a yellow brick mansion of Greek Colonial style surrounded by massive columns is one of the most impressive homes in the area and includes eight stained glass windows and six hand-carved fireplaces. A. B. Hunter, Sr., a banker, landowner and grain merchant built the home around 1910. Hunter lost much of his vast fortune in the agricultural depression of 1926, just prior to the Great Depression. Owned by several families and home to the New Madrid County Health Department from 1951-1996, and is now privately occupied.

Kochtitsky Home

The Kochtitsky Home was built in 1880 by Otto Von Kochtitsky who came to New Madrid in 1875 to build a railroad to Malden, Missouri (30 miles west) and to survey, reclaim and improve the farmland around New Madrid. Privately occupied.

Hart-Stepp House

The oldest home in New Madrid, this house was constructed in 1832 by Abraham Augustine in an area southeast of present day New Madrid known as Old Town. Reminiscent of the French Mississippi Valley House type, the home was moved to its present location in order to escape the encroaching waters of the Mississippi River. Now owned by the City of New Madrid and home of the River Walk Gallery.

Lustron Home

This Lustron Home located in New Madrid is one of approximately 2500 enameled steel, prefabricated houses that were erected in the United States and South America from 1948 to 1950 in response to President Harry S. Truman's urgent call for housing after World War II. The Lustron homes were designed by Carl Strandlund and his team of Chicago Vitreous designers and manufactured at the Lustron plant in Columbus, Ohio. The company promoted the homes as being "permanent, lightning-safe and decay, termite and rodent proof." Models were available in both a two and three bedroom with matching garage, breezeway, patio, carport, and screened porch as accessories. The homes came in four exterior colors; surf blue, dove gray, maize yellow, and desert tan. This example has an unusual detached garage, and is privately occupied.

Sears Kit Home

From 1908 to 1934 Sears sold kit homes in 370 different designs through their mail order catalog. These houses were shipped by rail in one or two boxcars. The typical kit contained about 30,000 pieces and came with a 75-page instruction book. Sears promoted that a man of average abilities could assemble one of the kits in 90 days or less. This Sears kit home located in New Madrid is privately occupied.