Yup we have friends in Columbia, SC with a SEARS Home. You can still see the stenciled "assemble by the numbers" on wood and in perfect condition after all these years.
Yes, can use for home building in Tennessee due to "Andy's" law. 2016 Tennessee Code :: Title 43 - Agriculture and Horticulture :: Chapter 28 - Timber :: Part 3 - Branding of Timber :: § 43-28-313. Tennessee Native Species Lumber Act. Some years back, I cornered my local State legislator, Mathew Hill, and explained the injustice of building codes in Tennessee that would not allow un-graded lumber to build with. Kinda stupid to be sitting in the middle of one of the world's finest hardwood forests and have to import lumber from the west coast and Canada to build my house. I pointed out that other States have "native species" laws to have some kind of work around to allow folks to use what grows in their back yards. It took 2 years of work and some arm twisting to get it passed, but today, the link above is pretty close to what I outlined on a napkin at a restaurant for Mathew. And Tennessee is a bit more free of the nanny state. I suggest ALL you monkeys go talk to you State legislator about doing the same in your State if you don't have such a law. Ya'll have not because ya'll ask not !
Sounds a lot like the "Vets Law". If you don't claim it then the VA is not going to volunteer to honor their promise to take care of the Vet.
Little town near us used to be a railroad repair center for Clinchfield (now CSX). Whole bunch of those Sears homes in the older part of town, I'd guess the rail center made shipping fairly easy back in the day.
Lots of lumber round here, but it's all "Green" as in not kiln cured, or seasoned properly or for long enough, makes for poor quality building materials, and many contractors refuse to use it! You can buy "premium grade" lumber that's been fully seasoned and cured, but you will pay double or more!!!! WTF, its gotten so bad, that even the "Good Stuff" ain't worth saw dust! Only thing we got going for us is the prices have come WAY down, and the ply wood is still reasonable now! I go through a lot of Marine Grade ply, and i'm getting it for what most are paying for normal ply, so bonus for me! I also go through a lot of "Lite Ply" usually 1/4 inch down to 1/16 inch, and the prices have stabilized to pre plandemic prices!