The Adventures of Zach’s House by Evelyn Montgomery
Our own Zach Madsen occupies a house at the corner of Worth and Prairie that has been home for many people over the years.
The house was built in 1915. It must have begun life as an upper-middle-class home because in 1918 a man named Sam B. Ward, of that address, is reported as entering the armed forces for World War I. Mr. Ward was listed in the newspaper in the section for Negro enlistments. The neighborhood was not at the time open for residence by African-Americans as renters. It is likely he or his parents were servants at the house, living in quarters in the back. In 1919 the house was sold for $5,800, at the high end of home values.
Throughout the prosperous 1920s the house was owned by Dr Lee T. Johnson, who never lived in the house but resided on Junius. In 1923 the occupants offered a room for rent, described as “very desirable” and featuring “new rugs and draperies, Ivory furniture, auxiliary phone and all conveniences.” This was possibly an effort by renters to supplement their income. Dr. Johnson offered it for rent at $60 a month, the renters in turn offering a “lovely upstairs room” for rent, meals optional. In 1928 Dr. Johnson held an open house for tenants and emphasized the “new paper, paint and shades, new linoleum on kitchen and bath” that made the house desirable. But the depression was difficult for the house and Dr. Johnson. It continued to rent to tenants who in turn rented out rooms, but the turnover for both rentals was more frequent. Monthly rent for the house fell to $40, to $35, to $30. Advertisements no longer touted new décor. The house was merely “attractive.” By World War II it was undoubtedly a poor investment in poor condition. In early 1943 it was advertised for sale, described as having an “attractive price for quick sale.” Being cheap had become its only attribute.
It was purchased by Mr. H. W. Eubank, who did become a resident landlord,. The house then fell victim to the need for more housing for defense plant workers and the poor house endured a long recovery from the process.. The federal government encouraged people to create additional living units in their homes and rent them to workers. By 1943, when Mr. Eubank bought the house, it was impossible to purchase building materials except for “necessary construction” like creating more housing.
On August 2, 1943, Mr. Eubank requested a building permit for plumbing required to convert the house in question from a one-family house to a two-family house. The upstairs unit was undoubtedly a welcome home for defense workers. But when the war was over, almost everybody who had a choice left older neighborhoods like ours for the new suburbs at the edge of the city. During the 1950s the house continued as apartments, each of four rooms with bath. Its value was just under $10,000 and the gross rental income was $125 a month, or so Mr. Eubank said when he sold it. Now it is a private home, with a mysterious exterior staircase leading to a closet, a remnant of the past.