Monday, December 26, 2011

Federal Conviction for Shawn Johnson/Lustron Home In Tuscumbia


For those who may have missed the December 15th article in the TimesDaily, Alfred Shawn Johnson has been found guilty of Federal drug charges and sentenced to 46 months in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.

While the TD failed to point this out, Johnson is currently under indictment for the murder of Keith Barnett in Lauderdale County. Assuming Johnson is convicted in this death, how will his sentences be served? It has been our experience that state charges are usually served first; however, we don't know how long Johnson's murder trial may be delayed for various legal reasons. D.K. is working on this, and we will have an update when it's available.

*****


Pictured above is a Lustron Westchester home located just off Woodmont Drive in Tuscumbia. Doesn't look like much, does it? Fortunately, the sharp eye of Tuscumbia historian Mary Carton recognized the home for what it once was. These homes were manufactured between 1948 and 1950; production ceased when the company could no longer keep up with demand and declared bankruptcy. Approximately 20K orders were placed for these homes, but only about 2,680 ever made it to customers.


Several Lustrons were constructed locally. Pictured above is one in Sheffield. The abandoned Tuscumbia Lustron had not even made it to the home's national registry until Mary recently added it. Just being on the the registry will not assure its preservation, but it's a start. Lustron homes have a place in the Museum of Modern Art. We hope this one can have a renewed place of honor in the Shoals.






Shoalanda

Comments welcome. No profanity. No vulgarity. No libelous statements. Get it? Got it! Good...

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for posting this. I didn't know the significance of the home until I purchased a copy of Jim Smith's 'Walk Through Town'. He discussed the building on the home in his book. I knew it was an factory ordered home as Mom fusses about what happened to the home every time we drive by. I was around 6 or 7 when the property was sold & the house moved and the church thorn down. Tearing that neat church down was also a shame.

    Reading the history of the company has gotten my curiosity up about the corruption scandal. Thanks again.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Glad to see interest in the Lustron. Florence has about four. These houses are very significant historical examples of the attempt to prefabricate homes in the post war housing boom.

    ReplyDelete
  3. a lot of the homes in Florida look/favor of this design.

    ReplyDelete