Dr. John F. Studebaker, who established his medical practice here in
1908, built this large two-story house at 2018 8th Ave. N. in 1914. Dr.
Studebaker and family occupied the home until he retired in 1942 and
moved to California.
The house was then sold to Richard Hess, U. S. Gypsum plant manager
here; then to Mr. and Mrs. Roy V. Murray in 1947. In 1948 the property
was sold to Robert M. Kelley, Fort Dodge insurance man, and Mrs. Kelley
who occupied it with their family until 1974 when it was purchased by R.
Thomas Price, Fort Dodge attorney and Mrs. Price. The Prices now reside
there.
[Illustration: The Studebaker home
2018 8th Avenue North]
Originally the house included living room, parlor or music room, dining
room, library used by Dr. Studebaker for his medical books, large
kitchen and bath on the first floor; four bedrooms, sleeping porch and
bath on the second floor. The house has been remodeled and modernized at
various times, the Kelleys adding a family room on the north side 15
years ago and a bedroom and bath on the second floor.
Grounds around the house were extensively landscaped with trees, shrubs,
flowers, vegetable garden, small fruit orchard, grape arbor and
raspberry bushes. An octagonal summer house and a tennis court were also
on the grounds.
Dr. Studebaker was born in Pearl City, Ill., in 1874 and later moved to
Summerfield, Kan. He graduated from MacPherson College and then attended
the University of Illinois School of Medicine and took postgraduate work
at Harvard School of Medicine. He had his first office in the newly
completed First National Bank building here and engaged in general
medical practice until 1916 when he began specializing in surgery.
He was a World War I veteran serving in the Army Medical Corps. After
his discharge from service Dr. Studebaker returned to Fort Dodge and in
1922 joined with Dr. E. F. Beeh and Dr. A. A. Schultz in building the
Physicians Clinic, a two-story structure at First Avenue North and Tenth
Street, where they had offices for many years. Four additional
floors—devoted to apartments—were added in 1928 and given the name
Biltwell Apartments.
Dr. and Mrs. Studebaker had two children. Their son Dr. Leland F.
Studebaker practiced medicine in California. He died in 1971 at age 63.
The daughter, Miss Rowena Studebaker resides in Fort Dodge.