The Wolfe home
1530 5th Avenue North
The house was occupied by the Wolfes until 1918. In 1923 it was acquired by Dr. E. M. Van Patten, a well-known osteopathic physician here, and the Van Pattens resided there for many years. Since then the house has changed ownership several times.
Wolfe built the home when he was associated with the Iowa Hydraulic Stone Company which had its plant in the area where the Hormel plant is now located. The company manufactured cement blocks, ornamental stone and special forms of cast work. Wolfe was secretary and general manager of the stone company and F. C. Minogue was president. After the company ceased operations Wolfe was employed at the Fort Dodge post office for some years. He died in 1955 at age 83; Mrs. Wolfe died in 1970 at age 92.
THE STEVENS HOME
The two-story brick residence pictured above was built on a site in the northwest part of the city that was deeded by the United States of America to the State of Iowa in 1862. The tract of land was part of the area later transferred by the state in 1874 to the Des Moines Valley Railroad Company and then in 1875 to the Des Moines and Fort Dodge Railroad Company.
Located at 510 3rd Ave. NW, it was known as the Stevens property for many years. Presently it is owned by Sterling Ainsworth, a great grandson of Socrates G. Stevens, an early resident of Douglas Township. Stevens came to Webster County in 1857 and purchased a large farm in Douglas Township. In later years the farm adjoined the northwest Fort Dodge city limits and included the building site where the original Stevens home was erected.
The Stevens’ had a daughter, Mary, who took over operation of the farm following the deaths of her parents. In 1906 she replaced the old farm house with the present attractive house and resided there until her death in 1929. The Stevens also had a daughter Julia who was married to W. C. Ainsworth. They were parents of Harriet Ainsworth and W. L. Ainsworth, a widely-known farmer and the father of Sterling Ainsworth who now resides in the Stevens house.
The Stevens home
510 3rd Avenue Northwest