This was the residence of a pioneer businessman and early-day railroad official—Thomas H. Wright. Built in the late 1880s, the home at 209 S. 7th St., has been owned and occupied by members of the Wright family since then. Many changes have been made in the home since it was constructed. In the late 1930s it was modernized, a new entryway was added and brown cedar shingles were applied to the exterior.

Isaac Garmoe, another pioneer businessman here, bought the property in 1873. Ten years later it was sold to Thomas H. Wright who later erected the house which is still owned by his two daughters—the Misses Marie Wright and Florence Wright. Marie is a retired Fort Dodge Senior and Junior High school social studies teacher; Florence is the former organist at First Presbyterian Church.

The two-story frame house has two living rooms, dining room and kitchen on the first floor; three bedrooms and bath on the second floor. A garage is at the rear of the lot where once was a two-story barn that housed the family’s horse, buggy and sleigh.

Mr. Wright was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1840 and came to the United States in 1871. He moved to Fort Dodge in the early 1880s where he was trainmaster for the Illinois Central Railroad’s Sioux City division. Later he was owner and partner in the hardware business here with S. J. Robertson. Their store was at Central Avenue and Sixth Street.

After retiring from the hardware business, Mr. Wright was in the real estate and insurance business. He also was an officer and director of the First Trust & Savings Bank, a division of the old First National Bank, now the State Bank. Always civic minded, Wright served on the public library board in the days of Capt. W. H. Johnston, one of the city’s early library presidents. He was also a member and officer of the First Presbyterian Church.

There were six children in the Wright family—two boys who died during a diphtheria epidemic; Misses Marie and Florence Wright; Thomas H. Wright Jr., who died in Cedar Rapids in 1970; and Robert L. Wright of Oklahoma City. The elder Mr. Wright died in 1932 at age 92.