Residents of the city who have lived here for about 50 years will
probably recall that this home was popularly known in the mid-1920s as
the “electric house.” Built by A. S. Jackman, a Fort Dodge electrical
contractor, the home located at 1117 N. 19th St. is presently owned and
occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Merlin B. Hays and family.
The home was one of the first built in the Elmhurst Acres area just west
of Dodger Stadium. It is located on a lot with a 120-foot frontage on
Nineteenth Street and extending 265 feet eastward to the stadium parking
lot.
Jackman, who owned the Jackman Electric Company at 924 Central Avenue,
built the two-story brick home in 1923 and incorporated the most modern
electrical installations at that time. When completed Jackman, in
cooperation with the Fort Dodge Gas & Electric Company, arranged to have
open house and invited Fort Dodge and area residents to visit it. The
newest and latest electrical appliances such as refrigerators, washing
machines, toasters and the like were on display along with beautiful
electrical fixtures in the various rooms.
The basic arrangement of the home has not changed much through the years
but owners did considerable remodeling to fit their needs. The first
floor includes spacious living and dining rooms, family or TV room,
kitchen and bedroom with half bath. The second floor has three bedrooms
and bath. There is also a large floored attic and a full basement. The
house originally had a tile roof but this has been replaced with new
type roofing. All spouting on the house is of copper. The home is set
back a considerable distance from Nineteenth Street and there is a
circular driveway leading to the house.
[Illustration: The Electric Home
1117 No. Nineteenth Street]
Mr. and Mrs. Hays purchased the home in 1959 from John and Ann Doud who
acquired it in 1955. Other earlier owners were Arthur Westerman, Richard
Paul and Robert Lentz.
Hays, present owner of the attractive home, is a virologist with the
Fort Dodge Laboratories. He and his wife are parents of four
children—three boys and a girl.