Part 9/15:
As demand surged, Gordon-Van Tine expanded nationally. They established manufacturing facilities across the country—from Iowa to Washington state—ensuring a steady supply of quality timber and speedy delivery via the rail network. By the 1920s, tens of thousands of Gordon-Van Tine homes dotted the American landscape, from the plains of Kansas to the suburbs of Chicago and beyond.
A pivotal partnership emerged in 1917 with Montgomery Ward, a retail giant and pioneer of mail-order shopping. Through this alliance, Ward marketed and sold homes under its "Wardway" brand, often featuring similar or identical designs to those in Gordon-Van Tine's catalogs. This relationship amplified their distribution, making these kit homes accessible to a vast national audience.