The Lohr home
1831 10th Avenue North
The house was built in 1895 by Michael Lohr who came to the United States from his native Germany and settled in Fort Dodge in 1894. He purchased a 3½-acre tract of land along Tenth Avenue North from David A. Haviland who had acquired it from the federal government in 1857; built the house and lived on this acreage for many years.
Lohr’s son, Peter J. Lohr, acquired the house and adjoining property in 1911 and retained possession until 1941 when it was deeded to his daughter Alice M. Thomas. Warren A. Downs, manager of the Sears store purchased the home in 1946 from Alice M. Thomas and husband, Bernard J. Thomas. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas had lived in the home from 1938 to 1946.
Later owners and occupants of the home were L. H. and Virginie Anderson of the Jones Piano House; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kirkberg of Kirkberg Jewelers; Mr. and Mrs. Jon McClure of McClure Engineering; and Mr. and Mrs. Hutchison, the present occupants. Hutchison is president of First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Fort Dodge. The house has been extensively remodeled and modernized in recent years.
Peter J. Lohr, who owned the property for many years, farmed east of the city before moving into the home. He then was employed by the Thompson Buttertub Company here and later was a rural mail carrier. Three of his sons—Ray, Clarence and Walter—live in the city.
THE CRAWFORD HOME
Architecture of the late 19th century features this large house at 302 S. 8th St., which has now been converted into a four-apartment building. Built in 1875, the two-story frame house was owned and occupied for many years by Robert W. Crawford, an early-day druggist in Fort Dodge.
Two large Ionic columns mark the main entryway on the east side of the house which stands at the southwest corner of Third Avenue South and Eighth Street. Crawford purchased the lot on which the house stands from Thomas Snell, a pioneer real estate dealer here. The house has changed ownership only a few times since Crawford constructed it and presently it is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Peter J. Salvatore who acquired it in 1965. There are two apartments on both the first and second floors. One of the downstairs apartments is occupied by the Salvatores.
The Crawford home
302 So. Eighth Street