This sturdy brick residence was built 80 years ago in northeast Fort
Dodge when there was only one other house (the Lou Alger home) to the
east of its location at 1831 10th Ave. N.
Known for years as the Lohr home, it has changed ownership a number of
times and for the past 29 years has been owned and occupied by a number
of well-known business and professional men here. Present owners are Mr.
and Mrs. M. James Hutchison who have lived in the home since 1967.
The two-story house has a one-story brick addition on the east
side—built in recent years. Walls of the original home are of solid
brick construction so popular more than three quarters of a century ago.
The first floor includes the family room in the addition, living room,
dining room, kitchen and bath and three bedrooms and bath on the second
floor.
The exterior brick is painted white and windows have black shutters. The
roof overhang is also painted black to match the roofing. The house
occupies two lots with a frontage of 75 feet on Tenth Avenue North and
190 feet in depth.
[Illustration: 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.