[Illustration: The Collins home
1307 3rd Avenue North]
The residence at 1307 3rd Ave. N. is probably the only one in Fort Dodge
with concrete wall construction—somewhat of a novelty when it was built
in 1911. The two-story house was constructed by E. W. Collins, a coal
dealer here for many years.
Collins came from a Webster County family whose members pioneered in the
coal mining and gypsum industry in this area and were of an innovative
turn of mind. He had an idea for a house that would be built differently
than the usual run of houses and put the idea into practical use in 1910
after buying the Third Avenue North lot in 1909.
The house has double-wall concrete construction, giving it both
exceptional structural strength and an insulating air space between the
two walls. Wood forms were made for the walls and concrete poured into
them. Facing of the exterior concrete walls is unique. Instead of making
the walls flat, Collins devised forms so that the poured concrete would
simulate wood siding. This gave the house an outward appearance of an
ordinary wood siding frame home. The unusual features attracted
considerable interest among those associated with home construction.
The Collins family moved into the home after it was completed and lived
there until 1917 and then moved to 1245 5th Ave. N. which has since been
the Collins home. The concrete home which presently has two apartments
is now owned by Hubert McMahon, 1129 S. 17th St.
A brother of E. W. Collins was Tom Collins who engineered and put into
successful operation the first underground gypsum mine in the area. This
was shortly before the turn of the century when he and others organized
the Cardiff Gypsum Plaster Company.
E. W. Collins was married in 1900 to Alice Quealy and about that time
started a retail coal business in the city which he operated until his
retirement in 1937. He died in 1945 at age 77; Mrs. Collins died in 1961
at age 88.
The Collins were parents of three children—two sons and a daughter. They
were Edwin, deceased; Allan of Fort Dodge; and Kathleen of Rochester,
Minn. Allan and his wife reside in the family home at 1245 5th Ave. N.
They are parents of 11 children. Allan retired from postal service
several years ago and is now employed in the office of Iowa Beef
Processors here.