06/12/2026
Fort Dodge History
First National Bank / Beh Building
Location: 629 Central Ave.
Construction Timeline: 1907 – 1908
Architect: Liebbe, Nourse and Rasmussen (Des Moines, IA)
Original Owner: First National Bank
Size: Six stories
Purpose of Building: Bank and office suite
Built in 1907-1908, the First National Bank Building is a prominent landmark in Fort Dodge. The history of the First National Bank runs almost parallel with the development of Fort Dodge since 1866. The officers and directors of the First National Bank were among the city's most prominent businessmen, active in city commerce and politics as well as the regionally important gypsum extraction and milling industry.
The bank itself was the most prominent financial institution in Fort Dodge. Costing over $200,000 and rising six stories tall, this building was at its completion the city's most celebrated office structure. For almost 60 years, the building housed one of Fort Dodge's most prominent banks--either the First National Bank or the State Bank--on its first floor. Please click here to read more: https://www.fortdodgehistory.com/iconic-buildings