Allers hosted a downtown architecture tour Tuesday afternoon for the Iowa Central Community College Culture Club.

“These were the parade grounds of the Fort,” Allers said as the group gathered at City Square Park outside of the Fort Dodge Public Library.

He explained that just a few blocks north, the original foundation of the first brick building still stands. It’s located at Rosedale Water Store.

After a momentary drizzle of rain at the beginning of the tour at about 2:30 p.m., the weather remained cool and pleasant for the duration of the walk, which took participants along Central Avenue, First Avenue North and First Avenue South.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Gabriel Fisher, 18, a student at Iowa Central Community College, snaps a picture of the Garnoe Building, 518 Central Ave., Tuesday afternoon during an architecture tour hosted by Terry Allers, of Allers Associates Architects, PC. The Monroe Building was built in 1896 with a Victorian influence, according to Allers.

Ahlers showcased 26 buildings, all were built prior to 1930. He said there are 168 buildings in Fort Dodge’s downtown district with 101 of them considered resources to the Historic District.

“Twenty-four of them could be considered individually eligible for the National Historic Register due to the integrity of the design, materials used and workmanship of the building,” Allers said.

The style of buildings in the downtown area is considered Chicago Commercial Style, Allers said.

According to Allers, in 1907, Fort Dodge was considered the 12th largest city in Iowa.

Currently, Fort Dodge is the 22nd largest in terms of population, according to 2019 United States Census population estimates.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Terry Allers, of Allers Associates Architects, PC, looks over the Prusia Hardware Building, which is now Heartland Senior Housing. Allers gave an architecture tour to Iowa Central Community College students Saturday afternoon in downtown Fort Dodge. At eight stories, the Prusia Hardware Building is considered the tallest in downtown Fort Dodge. It was built in 1916.

The Heartland Senior Living building, 610 Central Ave., formerly known as Prusia Hardware Building, was talked about on the tour. It is eight stories tall and considered the tallest building in the city. It features lions’ heads and faces which look like the same person repeated in a pattern on the structure.

E.O. Damon Jr. was the architect for the building. Damon, a native of Northhampton, Massachussets, came to Fort Dodge in 1912. He is also credited with the 1932 design for the Blanden Memorial Art Gallery and the Warden Plaza.

The Carnegie Library, 605 First Ave. N., features a Greek revival design, Allers said.

“This library, when it was built (1903), was considered one of the nicer ones in the country,” Allers said.

Terracotta is prevalent in many historic Fort Dodge structures.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
The First United Methodist Church was featured in the downtown architecture tour provided by Terry Allers, of Allers Associates Architects PC, Tuesday afternoon. The church, built in 1915, features a Greek revival style. The sanctuary is under a dome. The base is all brick.

“It was cheaper and had the look of stone,” Allers said.

Terracotta is found on buildings like the First National Bank Building, 629 Central Ave.; the Snell Building, 805 Central Ave.; the Wahkonsa Apartments, 927 Central Ave.; the Municipal Building, 819 First Ave. S., and others.

The Armory building, known to some as the Laramar, was built in 1904.

“Originally, it was an armory,” Allers said. “It was also used for dances. Buddy Holly played there.”

The building is currently vacant.

Multiple downtown buildings were built around 1914, Ahlers pointed out.

“It must have been good economic times,” he said.

At the Muncipal Building, built in 1915, Allers emphasized the front steps, which are not original, he said.

“We (Allers), were asked to redesign the stairs so they weren’t so long,” Allers said.

An extensive window replacement project is close to being finished also, he said.

The Leighton Building, 1030 Central Ave., was built in 1923. It is Fort Dodge’s strongest example of a modern broad-front.

“It’s longer than it is wide,” Allers said.

The building was designed by Frank Griffith, whom according to Allers, was hired as the company architect for U.S. Gypsum in 1907.

“He was well-known locally for his design work,” Allers said.

Allers said the Griffith architect company remained in business from the early 1900s up until about eight years ago.

In fact, Allers said he worked for the firm over 40 years ago.

“I worked for them and they were a great firm to work for,” he said. “That’s how I got my start and believed I could make a go of it.”