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The Dr. Evans home

530 S. Twelfth Street

The brick home located at 530 S. 12th St. was built in 1913 by Dr. Robert Evans, for many years a prominent physician and surgeon in Fort Dodge. The two-story house has three rooms on the first floor, three rooms on the second floor and an attic area with two rooms.

The house is situated in part of the Fair Oaks addition to the city that once was also the location of the Duncombe deer park and the attractive gypsum block residence of John F. Duncombe and his wife, Mary. Duncombe was a prominent early-day attorney and industrialist here.

Mrs. Duncombe sold the South Twelfth Street building lot in 1909 to Mercie T. Evans, wife of Dr. Evans. Four years later the Evans built the brick home which they occupied for many years.

The house has changed ownership a number of times and once was owned by Mr. and Mrs. John P. Barton. Mrs. Barton was a niece of Dr. and Mrs. Evans. Following the deaths of the Bartons the house was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Al Hayden who now live in Mesa, Ariz. After some remodeling of the house it was sold by Haydens in 1967 to the Don Slotten family. They, in turn, sold the property in 1972 to Mr. and Mrs. Norman Lee Pingel who presently reside there with their family.

Dr. Evans was born in Canada in 1857 and in 1888 was graduated from the Detroit College of Medicine. He began his medical practice in LaCrosse, Wis., and remained there until 1891 when he came to Fort Dodge and opened an office in the downtown area at 516½ Central Ave.

In 1908 he associated himself with Dr. C. H. Mulroney and Dr. W. W. Bowen. After 15 months Dr. Mulroney withdrew from the firm and Dr. Evans and Dr. Bowen continued together for 24 years with offices in the Snell Building. In the spring of 1932 Dr. Evans retired from active practice and in the fall of that year he died suddenly at his home.

Dr. Evans was married to Miss Mercie Thompson of LaCrosse. They had no children but raised two orphan nieces, Sarah and Kathryn Thompson. Kathryn was married to John P. Barton who was a city commissioner here some years ago. Both are now deceased.