A large porch extends across the front of the house which faces the east. Square columns standing atop railing posts support the porch roof and are joined together with ornate wood trim. Windows of the house have distinctive outdoor arched tops and there are pointed dormers with windows on the four sides of the roof. The home originally had a living room, parlor, dining room, master bedroom and bath and kitchen on the first floor; six bedrooms and bath on the second floor. The second floor has been converted into a large apartment with three baths and there is also an apartment on the third floor. Rooms downstairs are large with high ceilings, floors are of oak and doors have double board casings. Conway’s first business venture in the city was a hardware store and in 1869 he established a lumber business at First Avenue South and Fifth Street that continued until 1939. Conway’s sons James and John, were in business with him for many years. After the business was incorporated in 1914 as the Conway Lumber Company the firm included Owen, John, James and Ed Conway, the latter a son of John Conway. [Illustration: The Conway home 400 So. Eighth Street] James, Dave and Eustace Conway, sons of the pioneer, operated a general merchandise store at 612 1st Ave. S. and Dave, Eustace and Owen P. Conway also had a general store and lumber yard in Moorland. Two other sons, were in business in Clare—F. D. Conway, lumber and grain, and C. P. Conway, general store. The elder Owen Conway died in 1916. Two grandchildren of the founder of the Conway firms reside in Fort Dodge. They are Miss Delores and Owen Conway. There are also two great grandsons living here—Ray and Robert Conway. THE THIEDE HOME Franz Thiede, who owned and operated a brick plant here for many years, built this large brick residence in 1890. The 14-room house at 520 N. 2nd St. has changed little since it was built and today is owned by a son, Frank Thiede and the estate of the late Elma Thiede. The house occupies the back portion of a lot that has a frontage of 160 feet on Second Street and extends back 230 feet. The first floor of the large, sturdy residence has a hall, parlor, living room, dining room, sunroom, kitchen, bedroom and bath. On the second floor are six bedrooms. Rooms on the first floor have 10½ foot ceilings and woodwork throughout the house was cut from native lumber. The hall and parlor have walnut woodwork as does the stairway to the second floor. Other rooms have oak woodwork and oak floors. Doors and woodwork in the house shine with the original varnish applied in 1890. Thiede was born in Germany and studied masonry and architectural work there. He came to the U. S. in 1858 and at the age of 21 arrived in Fort Dodge and began masonry work. In 1883 he and Charles Heileman organized a brick manufacturing company and built a plant near the east end of the Hawkeye Avenue bridge over the Des Moines River.