Restoration Exchange Omaha and the Preservation Association of Lincoln are sponsoring a search for early 20th century houses advertised in a plan book by Omaha architect Everett S. Dodds. Examples have been found in both Omaha and Lincoln and more are out there. Before you search your neighborhood, you can go to www.nebraskahistory.org for a copy of the Dodds plan book.
Dodds was one of Nebraska’s most prolific home designers. His area of expertise was residential house plans, which he offered as “stock” plans to prospective homeowners and homebuilders. These building plans were featured weekly in the Omaha Bee and the Omaha Sunday World-Herald under the headline, “Some New Home Suggestions.”
In approximately 1914, Dodds released a plan book 
of house designs ranging from affordable bungalows to more elaborate homes, which he stated could be modified at a small cost to suit individual preferences. He described himself as a “Specialist in Up-to-Date Residences and Bungalows of the Better Class.”
To date, a number of the designs from his plan book have been identified in the Nebraska Historic Resource Survey and Inventory, maintained by the Nebraska State Historical Society’s Historic Preservation Office. These include the “Ludlow” model found on the northeast corner of 33rd and Mohawk, and the “Ashford” model at 624 S. 33rd and 3426 Laura in Lincoln. Other existing designs include the “Seymore” at 6711 Minne Lusa and the “Woodbine” at 2720 Mary in Omaha. There have been several other Dodds designs identified in Omaha’s Minne Lusa neighborhood (See Minne Lusa National Register Nomination .
Please join in the search for additional examples of his work. When you think you have an example, please send a thumbnail photo of the home, its model name from Dodds’ book, and its full address to jhonebrink@alleypoyner.com. Jennifer Honebrink will collect the findings and results will be posted in early June on the PAL, REO and Nebraska State Historical Society web sites.