| Lustron: Marshall's Historic Prefabricated Houses (excerpt) | | Lustron borrowed both their production model and distribution plan from the auto industry. Here in Marshall, Penny Nicholas, owner of the Central Willys auto dealership, took on the Lustron franchise. Nicholas had little fear of technology. He had long been at the forefront of commerical aviation and had partnered in 1924 with barnstormer Howard Beazley to become the nation's largest distributor of airplane parts. In addition to parts, Nicholas and Beazley produced pilots, over 3,000 civilian pilots graduated from their Marshall Flying School.According to Lustron historian Thomas Fetters, 2,680 Lustron Homes were shipped in its two years of operation, including 97 to Missouri. Marshall has three Lustrons; ... | | Terry D. Humphrey -- On The Street Where You Live, 2015 |
|