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July 1942. "Middle River, Maryland. Stansbury Estates, housing development for workers at the Glenn L. Martin aircraft plant. Some houses have porches at the back. They are all alike, have four rooms, are made of Cemesto Board." Acetate negative by Marjory Collins. View full size.
Nice legs. That metal chair would have to go the first time she sat down on it in those shorts after the chair had been in the sun for awhile. Ouch!
My wife's grandmother lived for YEARS in one of these Middle River houses (7 Elm Drive), along with her spinster sister and her son. I've seen one, stayed in one, celebrated family gatherings in one.
Here is more than you ever wanted to know about Cemesto. I also learned that the Eames House (or Case Study House No. 8) used Cemesto extensively.
"Cemesto is a sturdy, light-weight, waterproof and fire-resistant composite building material made from a core of sugar cane fiber insulating board surfaced on both sides with asbestos and cement ... A prototype cemesto house was displayed at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City. The Pierce system was first used in 1941 for building employee housing at the Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Company near Baltimore, Maryland."
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