See a broad selection of kit-house catalogs from Michigan-based companies like Aladdin (from Bay City) and Hom-o-Graf (from Detroit), plus maps related to the growth of Detroit’s suburbs.

Have you ever wondered why so many older houses look alike? Playing an outsized role, Michigan, with its ready supply of lumber, skilled laborers, and easy access to water and rail transport, was the center of the kit-house industry in the early to mid-20th century.

Join us (on the 2nd floor of Hatcher) for Third Thursdays at the Library, a themed monthly open house where we share materials from our collections. While you’re here, pick up a Third Thursday Passport and collect a stamp from each of the four Third Thursday Open Houses — the Clark Library, International Studies, Asia Library, and the Special Collections Research Center — to win a prize!