[Illustration: The O. M. Oleson home
1020 3rd Avenue South]
O. M. Oleson, pioneer pharmacist and philanthropist, erected this large
three-story brick residence with green tile roof in 1906.
Located at 1020 3rd Ave. S. it probably is the only home in the city to
have had a pipe organ for many years. The home was occupied by Mr. and
Mrs. Oleson until 1938 when it was sold to Mr. and Mrs. O. J.
Whittemore. Mrs. Whittemore continues to reside in the house following
the death of her husband who was prominently identified with the Vincent
Clay Products Company here.
The home has a full basement, first floor with living room, dining room,
and kitchen; second floor with five bedrooms and two baths; and third
floor with recreation room and attic storage space.
The pipe organ which Oleson enjoyed playing was removed from the home
prior to its sale to the Whittemores and given to Lutheran Hospital’s
nurses’ home. The nurses’ home was torn down some years ago during
rebuilding work at the hospital (now Trinity Regional West).
Oleson was noted for his countless philanthropic acts. He donated land
to the city for Oleson Park in the southeast part of the city and Leif
Erickson Park in west Fort Dodge. He was the principal benefactor of
Lutheran Hospital when it was organized and began operations here. His
widow, Julie Haskell Oleson, willed more than $2 million to the hospital
at the time of her death.
Oleson was a native of Norway and came to Fort Dodge as a young man and
started in the drug business. In 1894 he erected the three-story brick
building at Central Avenue and Eighth Street which was long the home of
his drug firm—the Oleson Drug Company. The first floor and basement were
occupied by the drug firm which for many years had both retail and
wholesale operations. The second and third floors had apartments and
some offices. The building was razed in recent years along with other
structures to make way for the City Green Parking lot.
Oleson enjoyed good music and in the early 1890s organized the Grieg
Male Chorus and was its director for many years. The chorus had a large
hall on the third floor of the Oleson building where members rehearsed
and held social activities. His love of music led to some composing. One
of the numbers he set to music was the celebrated World War I poem by
Col. John McCrae—“In Flanders Fields the Poppies Grow.”