[Illustration: The Methodist parsonage
1518 3rd Avenue North]
The former First Methodist Church parsonage, where the author of “best
seller” novel “One Foot in Heaven” was reared, is this residence at 1518
3rd Ave. N.
Hartzell Spence was the writer and his father—the Rev. W. H. Spence—was
pastor of the church here from 1909 to 1917. The story relates the life
and experiences of the Rev. Mr. Spence and family while here and in
other parishes. Following publication of the novel, it was made into a
hit motion picture in the early 1940s.
The Rev. Mr. Spence, 34, was assigned to the Fort Dodge church in 1909
and Hartzell Spence recalls in his book that President William Howard
Taft came to the city shortly after that to visit U. S. Senator J. P.
Dolliver. The President gave Hartzell a “pat on the head” during that
visit, he notes.
The original Methodist church in Fort Dodge was built at the southeast
corner of Second Avenue South and Seventh Street in 1858. The second
church was erected at the northeast corner of First Avenue North and
Tenth Street and dedicated in 1878. This church, around which the novel
revolves, was a stately red brick edifice with a towering steeple. Just
to the east of the church was the large two-story frame parsonage built
in 1893 which was the home of the Spences.
This parsonage was in use until 1914 when it was sold and moved to the
Third Avenue North location where it is now owned and occupied by Mr.
and Mrs. C. P. McGrane. Removal of the house was made necessary to make
way for the present First United Methodist Church which was dedicated in
1915. First Church now has its parsonage at 1211 N. 11th St.
Mr. and Mrs. McGrane acquired the property at 1518 3rd Ave. N. in 1939
and have since resided there. It has been extensively remodeled and
modernized and now has four rooms, bath and music room on the first
floor and four bedrooms and bath on the second floor.
The novel by Hartzell Spence tells of the wrecking of the old red brick
church in 1914 and building of a tabernacle one block east of the church
site where services were held until the new edifice was completed. Much
of the book is devoted to the life of the Spence family in Fort Dodge,
including many youthful events in Hartzell’s life told in a fictional
vein.
The Rev. Mr. Spence left Fort Dodge in 1917 to take over a church in
Omaha. Later he had Methodist charges in Sioux City (Morningside
College) and Mason City.