This sturdy-looking cement block house—known for many years as the ‘stone house’ or the ‘castle’—has occupied the northwest corner of Fifth Avenue North and Sixteenth Street since 1908.

Henry W. Wolfe purchased the corner lot in 1903 that extended along Sixteenth Street from Fifth to Sixth Avenues North and five years later built the big house. In 1910 he erected the cement house just to the north—at the Sixth Avenue corner.

The house with the address of 1530 5th Ave. N. is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bocken, 831 N. 21st St. who purchased it in 1965. Many years ago it was converted into a duplex with two apartments that are rented out. Each apartment has a living room, dining room, kitchen on the first floor and two bedrooms and bath on the second floor.

A unique feature of the house is the corner tower-like area that extends from the ground floor to the attic. At the roof level is a cupola with six windows and a peaked roof. Wolfe, a Spanish-American War veteran brought back many mementoes of the Philippine Islands which he displayed in cases in the cupola area. There was also a landscape mural painting on the six sections of the wall.

Mrs. A. F. Jessen, 2442 10th Ave. N. is a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Wolfe, and relates interesting information about the house where she lived with her parents. Original interior arrangement of the house included a large living room, entry hall, dining room, library with fireplace, kitchen and pantry on the first floor; four bedrooms and bath on the second floor, the bedroom above the library with a fireplace.

The house was occupied by the Wolfes until 1918. In 1923 it was acquired by Dr. E.M. Van Patten, a well-known osteopathic physician here, and the Van Pattens resided there for many years. Since then the house has changed ownership several times.

Wolfe built the home when he was associated with the Iowa Hydraulic Stone Company which had its plant in the area where the Hormel plant is now located. The company manufactured cement blocks, ornamental stone and special forms of cast work. Wolfe was secretary and general manager of the stone company and F.C. Minogue was president. After the company ceased operations Wolfe was employed at the Fort Dodge post office for some years. He died in 1955 at age 83; Mrs. Wolfe died in 1970 at age 92.