Both this home and the similar 309 Pershing Ave. have been widely attributed to Altfillisch, but apparently are not his designs. Assessor’s records list owners of the two homes’ lots between 1938 and 1940 — none of whom were clients of Altfillisch. A common owner of the two lots during those years was Lars Seim, a busy Decorah building contractor and occasional architect. It seems likely that Seim designed, constructed and then sold both homes. Interestingly, Seim did work as the contractor for several projects designed by Altfillisch, including the 1938 Scott Oil Company filling station at 201 E. Water Street and the Larsen clothing store 1940 facade remodel at 105 W. Water St.

Both this home and the similar 319 Pershing Ave. have been widely attributed to Altfillisch, but apparently are not his designs. Assessor’s records list owners of the two homes’ lots between 1938 and 1940 — none of whom were clients of Altfillisch. A common owner of the two lots during those years was Lars Seim, a busy Decorah building contractor and occasional architect. It seems likely that Seim designed, constructed and then sold both homes. Interestingly, Seim did work as the contractor for several projects designed by Altfillisch, including the 1938 Scott Oil Company filling station at 201 E. Water Street and the Larsen clothing store 1940 facade remodel at 105 W. Water St.

Because of its modernistic form, unusual corner window (cf. the 1938 702 Center Ave. house by Altfillisch), glass block entry way, and its original flat roof, this house is often attributed to Charles Altfillisch. It was in fact built by Lars Seim (see 309 Pershing and 319 Pershing, below) for Dr. Kuhn as a combination residence and doctor’s office. The Decorah newspapers on a couple of occasions referred to it as an “ultra modern home,” and in a headline noted “Dr. Kuhn Building the Most Modern Home in Decorah.”