Architecture of the late 19th century features this large house at 302
S. 8th St., which has now been converted into a four-apartment building.
Built in 1875, the two-story frame house was owned and occupied for many
years by Robert W. Crawford, an early-day druggist in Fort Dodge.
Two large Ionic columns mark the main entryway on the east side of the
house which stands at the southwest corner of Third Avenue South and
Eighth Street. Crawford purchased the lot on which the house stands from
Thomas Snell, a pioneer real estate dealer here. The house has changed
ownership only a few times since Crawford constructed it and presently
it is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Peter J. Salvatore who acquired it in 1965.
There are two apartments on both the first and second floors. One of the
downstairs apartments is occupied by the Salvatores.
[Illustration: The Crawford home
302 So. Eighth Street]
All of the rooms are large and typical of the style of the era when it
was built. One of the downstairs living rooms has the original fireplace
and there is an attractive circular stairway leading to the upstairs.
Crawford was in the wholesale and retail drug business during the early
years of Fort Dodge. He erected a large building at the northwest corner
of Central Avenue and Sixth Street—known as the Crawford Block—in which
his store was located. The structure was destroyed in the big fire that
struck the area in December of 1956.
A product known as “Gopher Death” was developed by Crawford which was
manufactured and distributed through the Fort Dodge Chemical Company
which he organized. The product was widely sold throughout the nation.
In 1945 the company was purchased by Jewell A. Johnson, a Fort Dodge
druggist, who continued its operation until he sold the business in
1970.
There were three children in the Crawford family—a daughter and two
sons. The daughter, Mary, was married to E. F. Armstrong, a long-time
pharmacist here with the Oleson Drug Company. Mrs. Armstrong was
prominent in Fort Dodge and Iowa circles; taught English in high school
and was appointed to the State Conservation Commission. The sons were
Charles, who operated the Crawford Hotel here and Robert, now a
physician at Burlington.
Crawford-Armstrong addition in the north part of the city was opened by
the two families for which it was named and Crawford-Armstrong Park was
their gift to the city.