A Fort Dodge couple—Mr. and Mrs. Willis F. Rich—built this large brick residence at 701 Northwood Ave. in 1924 and have lived there continuously since then. The Riches planned and constructed the home more than 50 years ago, have lived there all of this time and also reared a family of three children there.

The stately English style home was constructed of red brick with a red tile roof. The house is surrounded by trees and green ivy vines cover the north and west sides.

The home has large and comfortable rooms on the first floor—living room with fireplace, sunroom, entry hall, dining room, kitchen, breakfast room and half bath. All floors are of hardwood. The second floor includes master bedroom, sleeping porch and three other bedrooms, bath and sunporch.

Insulation materials were not in use in the 1924 era but architect E. O. Damon’s plans specified four dead-air spaces to serve as insulation in the house between the exterior brick wall and the interior plastered wall. The method worked successfully.

Rich is from a family of bankers, his father E. H. Rich being one of the early prominent bankers here. He followed in his father’s footsteps and in 1932 was cashier of the First Trust & Savings Bank and assistant cashier of the early-day First National Bank. At that time he quit the bank and went into the property supervision, real estate, insurance and loan business. Mrs. Rich was his partner in the business.