The E. J. Breen Sr. residence occupies a prominent location at the
southwest corner of Second Avenue South and Tenth Street. Constructed in
1910, the home has been continuously occupied by members of the Breen
family since that time.
The house at 925 2nd Ave. S. has a red brick exterior with red tile
roof, and is another of the sturdy early 20th Century residences built
in this area by prominent families of the city. It has a full basement
and three floors. On the first floor are living, dining and cooking
areas; on the second floor four bedrooms, sleeping porch and bath; and
on the third floor a ballroom.
The Breen family came to Fort Dodge in 1904 from Estherville. The family
included Mr. and Mrs. Breen, sons Maurice J. and Edward Jr. and daughter
Paulyne. During their early years in the city the Breens resided in
houses at Fourth Avenue North and Twelfth Street and Fifth Avenue South
and Twelfth Street before their home on Second Avenue South was
completed in 1910.
[Illustration: The Breen home
925 2nd Avenue South]
E. J. Breen Sr. was in the banking business—was president of the Iowa
Savings Bank here and president of the Lehigh Sewer Pipe & Tile Company
and the Northwestern Portland Cement Company of Mason City for many
years. He organized both of the latter companies. Breen died in 1928.
Mr. and Mrs. Maurice J. Breen and family occupied the home after the
death of the elder Mrs. Breen in 1939. Mrs. Maurice Breen continues to
reside in the home following her husband’s death and her son, Maurice
C., a Fort Dodge attorney, lives with her.
Television executive Ed Breen of Fort Dodge now resides on RFD 2; and
Mrs. Emerson Dawson, the former Paulyne Breen, lives at 227 S. 12th St.
Mrs. Dawson, prior to her marriage, conducted classes in dancing in the
third floor ballroom of the Breen home. She recalls that she often meets
men and women now who were her former students in these classes some 50
years ago.