The two-story brick residence pictured above was built on a site in the
northwest part of the city that was deeded by the United States of
America to the State of Iowa in 1862. The tract of land was part of the
area later transferred by the state in 1874 to the Des Moines Valley
Railroad Company and then in 1875 to the Des Moines and Fort Dodge
Railroad Company.
Located at 510 3rd Ave. NW, it was known as the Stevens property for
many years. Presently it is owned by Sterling Ainsworth, a great
grandson of Socrates G. Stevens, an early resident of Douglas Township.
Stevens came to Webster County in 1857 and purchased a large farm in
Douglas Township. In later years the farm adjoined the northwest Fort
Dodge city limits and included the building site where the original
Stevens home was erected.
The Stevens’ had a daughter, Mary, who took over operation of the farm
following the deaths of her parents. In 1906 she replaced the old farm
house with the present attractive house and resided there until her
death in 1929. The Stevens also had a daughter Julia who was married to
W. C. Ainsworth. They were parents of Harriet Ainsworth and W. L.
Ainsworth, a widely-known farmer and the father of Sterling Ainsworth
who now resides in the Stevens house.
[Illustration: The Stevens home
510 3rd Avenue Northwest]
The house has foundation walls of solid granite blocks two feet thick.
Oak woodwork was used throughout the house and floors are solid oak, an
inch in thickness. First floor of the house has living room, dining
room, kitchen, pantry, large music room and half bath. The upstairs has
four bedrooms, sewing room and full bath. A porch extends across the
south and east sides of the house.
Socrates G. Stevens, who established the Douglas Township farm, was born
in North Carolina in 1811. Married in 1835 he and his wife came to
Oskaloosa in 1856 and the following year began their farming career in
Webster County. Their daughter, Mary, was 15 years old when she came to
Iowa with her parents. She completed schooling in Oskaloosa and after
coming to the Fort Dodge area was a school teacher for 22 terms.
Following the death of her mother in 1888 Miss Stevens quit teaching and
remained at home and helped to operate the farm. She was reputed to be
one of the most efficient business women of Webster County and after the
death of her father in 1901 she successfully carried on the farm
operations.
Ownership of the house and surrounding farmland was transferred to
Harriet Ainsworth after Miss Stevens’ death in 1929. In 1939 the
property was bequeathed to Sterling Ainsworth. For a time in the early
1930s the house was leased out and the Red Feather Inn, a popular dining
place, operated there.