The Carl F. Franke house was built in 1916 with Liebbe, Nourse and Rasmussen as architects. Des Moines architects, Henry Frantz Liebbe, a native of Germany, Clinton C. Nourse and Edward F. Rasmussen, also designed the First National Bank Building of Mason City.

The following year Carl's brother Edward, who was the president of Central Trust Bank, commissioned the construction of his home at 507 East State Street with architect Barry Byrne.

Originally the Stockman House, also on the National Register of Historic Places, was located across the street from the C. F. Franke house.

Sometime over the years, the deep overhanging eaves have been removed from the C. F. Franke house.

The residence has also been referred to as the Mrs. Margaret Loomis House. Margaret was the wife of Lee P. Loomis, president of Lee Radio and publisher of The Globe Gazette during the 1920's. Mr. Loomis founded the Christmas Cheer Fund in 1927 to assure that each child had a gift in their stocking come Christmas morning despite the bleak economic times. The Lee P. Loomis Archive, which includes a large collection of photographs and historical materials, is housed at the Mason City Public Library.

The Loomis family was residing in the Franke house during the 1940's. Mr. Loomis was the president of the Iowa Newspaper Association in 1936. The Association named him as Master Editor-Publisher in 1956.

The Carl F. Franke house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places January 29, 1980.

SOURCE: Globe-Gazette archives

Submission by Sharon R. Becker, November of 2013