History

The story of Cinderella tract homes in Southern California begins with one name: Vandruff. In the early 1950s, Jean Vandruff, along with his brother, Shannon, started a revolution in tract home building. After building custom homes in Downey, CA, for many years, they decided to take the popular features of their custom homes, and apply them to tract housing. 

Until this time, most tract homes were unattractive box-shaped structures that lacked character. Jean and Shannon changed the home building industry with their beautiful storybook homes at amazingly affordable prices. Their first three tracts in Anaheim, CA, sold out in record time. Families lined up overnight to secure a home. Soon, other builders began to copy the Cinderella design. While other, more reputable builders, franchised the plans of the real Cinderella Homes from Jean and Shannon to build official Cinderella Homes in other cities and neighborhoods.

There were thousands of Cinderella Homes built throughout California, as well as in Wichita, Kansas, and Houston, Texas. They were very popular. Over 6,000 homes were built.

Jean Vandruff designed all the homes, while his brother, Shannon helped build the first three tracts and market them. The Cinderella Homes received national media coverage when they were first built, in magazines like Newsweek. The 1956 Los Angeles Home Show, featured a full scale model of the Cinderella Home inside the Pan Pacific Auditorium. There were two homes featured that year. The other home was designed by Dan Palmer & William Krisel. 

The attractive and charming Cinderella Home design is still popular with homebuyers today. Although it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a truly original Cinderella Home that has not been modified or updated. These homes were known for their elegance, comfort and durability.