The home has an exterior of red brick—a “soft brick” made from red clay that was found extensively in this area. Foundation walls are of limestone set in mortar. These stones of different sizes and roughly hewn form a foundation wall about seven feet high. Exterior house walls are 30 inches thick and interior walls are 24 inches thick.
Rooms of the house are large. Ceilings on the first floor are 14 feet high, on the second floor 12 feet high and on the third floor nine feet high. The third floor included a ballroom, 20 × 50 feet in size, where many early-day parties were held.
The Vincent House
824 3rd Avenue South
The Vincent House was entered on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and in 1974 was allocated $1,200 in federal funds for preservation purposes. The money will be used for restoration of the third floor ballroom in the house.
The beautiful home at the northwest corner of Third Avenue South and Ninth Street has been preserved through the years in excellent condition. It survived a battle in 1957 and 1958 with the Federal Government when it was proposed to raze the structure to make room for the nearby Federal Building and Post Office.
Mrs. Anne Vincent bequeathed the historic home to the Fort Dodge YWCA. Income from a $150,000 trust fund may be used by the YWCA to keep the home in good repair and to redecorate it. The home is now being used by the organization for many gatherings.
THE FORD HOME
Fort Dodge mayor John F. Ford, who served from 1911 to 1919, resided in this Fifth Avenue North home for many years with his wife and five children. Ford won election as mayor when the city’s form of government was changed from the ward system to the present commission system.
The first City Council under the commission form included Mayor Ford, Commissioner Frank W. Collins and Commissioner C. H. (Cad) Smith. At that time Collins was in charge of the department of accounts, finances, public properties and parks. Smith headed the department of public safety, streets and public improvements.