Architecture of the late 19th century features this large house at 302 S. 8th St., which has now been converted into a four-apartment building. Built in 1875, the two-story frame house was owned and occupied for many years by Robert W. Crawford, an early-day druggist in Fort Dodge.

Two large Ionic columns mark the main entryway on the east side of the house which stands at the southwest corner of Third Avenue South and Eighth Street. Crawford purchased the lot on which the house stands from Thomas Snell, a pioneer real estate dealer here. The house has changed ownership only a few times since Crawford constructed it and presently it is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Peter J. Salvatore who acquired it in 1965. There are two apartments on both the first and second floors. One of the downstairs apartments is occupied by the Salvatores.

All of the rooms are large and typical of the style of the era when it was built. One of the downstairs living rooms has the original fireplace and there is an attractive circular stairway leading to the upstairs.

Crawford was in the wholesale and retail drug business during the early years of Fort Dodge. He erected a large building at the northwest corner of Central Avenue and Sixth Street—known as the Crawford Block—in which his store was located. The structure was destroyed in the big fire that struck the area in December of 1956.

A product known as “Gopher Death” was developed by Crawford which was manufactured and distributed through the Fort Dodge Chemical Company which he organized. The product was widely sold throughout the nation. In 1945 the company was purchased by Jewell A. Johnson, a Fort Dodge druggist, who continued its operation until he sold the business in 1970.

There were three children in the Crawford family—a daughter and two sons. The daughter, Mary, was married to E. F. Armstrong, a long-time pharmacist here with the Oleson Drug Company. Mrs. Armstrong was prominent in Fort Dodge and Iowa circles; taught English in high school and was appointed to the State Conservation Commission. The sons were Charles, who operated the Crawford Hotel here and Robert, now a physician at Burlington.

Crawford-Armstrong addition in the north part of the city was opened by the two families for which it was named and Crawford-Armstrong Park was their gift to the city.