[Illustration: The YWCA home
327 No. Ninth Street]
The two-story frame house at the southeast corner of Fourth Avenue North
and Ninth Street (pictured above) was the first permanent home of the
Fort Dodge YWCA.
Organized in 1909, the YWCA had its original quarters in a small
building at First Avenue North and Seventh Street where the Flower
Mission Club for Girls was located. The club was started in 1908 by Dr.
Sara Kime and Mrs. J. J. Ryan to extend a welcome to girls coming to the
community. The building was the birthplace of the YWCA as it was
organized in the Flower Mission rooms.
The new YWCA grew at a rapid pace and better housing was needed. It was
then learned that the large A. S. R. Reynolds house at the northwest
corner of First Avenue North and Ninth Street was for sale. The property
included the eight-room house and a lot with frontage of 75 feet on
First Avenue and 140 feet on Ninth Street.
The house was purchased for $10,000 and the YWCA took possession in
October of 1909. Two years later, property just west of the Reynolds
house was purchased. The YWCA conducted many activities in the new
quarters and opened a cafeteria in 1910—the first in the city.
As activities of the organization increased the house was found
inadequate for the YWCA programs so a campaign was launched to raise
funds for a new building. It proved successful and the house was sold
for $10,000 to E. O. Fitz, manager of the Farmers Lumber Company. It was
then moved to its present location at 327 N. 9th St. Fitz resided in the
home for a time and it was then sold, changing ownership several times
through the years. It is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Hubert E. McMahon,
1129 S. 17th St. The house has two apartments which are rented out.
After selling the house the YWCA had temporary quarters in the Tobin
College building at First Avenue North and Seventh Street. The present
three-story brick YWCA building was then erected at First Avenue North
and Ninth Street at a cost of $72,000 for building and furnishings. The
building was dedicated in 1914. When completed the building had 36 rooms
for permanent and transient guests, clubrooms and a gymnasium. For many
years the YWCA also operated a cafeteria in the new building.