The House that Came in the Mail Again
99% Invisible5 Okt 2021

The House that Came in the Mail Again

The Sears & Roebuck Mail Order Catalog was nearly omnipresent in early 20th century American life. By 1908, one fifth of Americans were subscribers. Anyone anywhere in the country could order a copy for free, look through it, and then have anything their heart desired delivered directly to their doorstep. At its peak, the Sears catalog offered over 100,000 items on 1,400 pages. It weighed four pounds. Today, those 1,400 pages provide us with a snapshot of American life in the first decade of the 20th century, from sheep-shearing machines and cream separators to telephones and china cabinets. The Sears catalog tells the tale of a world -- itemized. And starting in 1908, the company that offered America everything began offering what just might be its most audacious product line ever: houses.

Buy The 99% Invisible City!

Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early.

Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episoder(788)

Constitution Breakdown #9: Alondra Nelson

Constitution Breakdown #9: Alondra Nelson

This is the ninth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution. This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article VI and VII, which include some odds and ends like the Debts Clause,...

24 Apr 1h 5min

Co-op City

Co-op City

The world’s largest housing co-op—built to save New York City’s middle class—became the unlikely site of a resident revolt Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad...

21 Apr 37min

RoboUmp Hits the Big Leagues

RoboUmp Hits the Big Leagues

One study from 2018 found that Major League Baseball umpires blow about 14 calls every game. That’s 34,000 bad calls every year. And it makes a difference. A blown strike call can decide a win or a lo...

14 Apr 31min

Service Request #5: Dude, Where's My Car?

Service Request #5: Dude, Where's My Car?

A missing car reveals the confusing rules, murky fees, and private actors behind modern towing. What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a voice memo...

7 Apr 32min

Service Request #4: How Does the Grid in Phoenix Work?

Service Request #4: How Does the Grid in Phoenix Work?

In a place where losing power can turn deadly, keeping the lights on is a high-stakes balancing act. What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a voice...

3 Apr 33min

Service Request #3: Why Is There So Much Litter in San Francisco?

Service Request #3: Why Is There So Much Litter in San Francisco?

Why did it take nearly a decade to redesign a city trash can, and why haven't more bins made the streets cleaner? What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by reco...

31 Mar 28min

Constitution Breakdown #8: Jill Lepore

Constitution Breakdown #8: Jill Lepore

This is the eighth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution. This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article V, which lays out the process to amend the Constitution. Then, Jil...

27 Mar 1h 6min

Service Request #2: Why Is This Red Light So Damn Long?

Service Request #2: Why Is This Red Light So Damn Long?

What the world's most advanced traffic system can—and can't—do for the city that invented gridlock. What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a voice ...

24 Mar 28min

Populært innen Business og økonomi

stopp-verden
dine-penger-pengeradet
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
e24-podden
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
rss-borsmorgen-okonominyhetene
pengepodden-2
pengesnakk
rss-politisk-preik
finansredaksjonen
livet-pa-veien-med-jan-erik-larssen
morgenkaffen-med-finansavisen
utbytte
tid-er-penger-en-podcast-med-peter-warren
stormkast-med-valebrokk-stordalen
rss-markedspuls-2
lederpodden
rss-sunn-okonomi
rss-pa-konto
rss-fa-makro