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Ames Home Builders Playhouse
Tribune photo published September 16, 1957

There was plenty of talent on hand in 1957 when construction got underway on the playhouse Ames Home Builders gave away during National Home Week.  Shown at the building site at the east end of Main Street are, from left: Front row, Nobel Christensen, Max Daley, Merle Eggers, Bernie Hornbaucker and Ron Leininger.  On the building are Dick Coy, Bob Friedrich, Herb Siedelmann and Les Jensen.  The Ames Daily Tribune's special Ames Home Builders section published September 20, 1957 celebrated National Home Week by highlighting advertisments of members and associate members.

Ames Home builders included John W. Moore, Henry Brahms, Phil Coy and Sons, Fjare Home Builders, Bliss Construction, Herbert Siedelman, R. Friedrich and Sons, H and F Builders, Carroll Tweedt of Slater, Overland Builders, Les Jensen Builders, and Nelson and Floden.
The Following are listed as Associate Members of the National Home Builders Association:
Bergeson Plumbing Company Ames Concrete Block Co. Jordison Electric S. Hanson Lumber C.A. Ballard, Excavating Ahnen Sheet Metal and Heating Ames College Plumbing D.S. Triplett, Realtor Ed Matuseski, Concrete Contractor G.S. Leland, Plumbing Diesel Service Holts and Naira, Realtors Munn Lumber Van Voorhis Bros. Heating Bill's Electric Ames Decorating Fred Winkler Decorating C.V. McLaughlin Decorating A.E. Thorson, Concrete Contractor	Kenneth W. Smith, Floor Contractor Johnson Lumber Bob Shaffer, Mason Contractor Globe Machinery Schoeneman Lumber Ames Dry Wall Ames Electric Kings Sheet Metal Carr Hardware Ames Lumber Dave Fitz, Electric R.W. Barnett, Tile and Brick Clair E. Wilson, Realtor Cook Construction Co. Paul Jones Sheet Metal George Young, Painter Lloyd Cafferty, Ames Nursery M. & L. Welding Armstrong Bros., Inc.
Ames can be proud of its many good Home Builders and the fine new subdivisions being developed by them.  The planning of these new areas, the design of homes, and quality of construction are an asset to our community as evidenced by the homes open for your inspection during National Home Week. Reductions in down payments authorized by the Housing act of 1957 were announced by FHA in August.  They call for 3% of the first 10,000 of value, plus 15% of the next $6,000, plus 30% of the excess up to a maximum of $20,000.  Although the money situation remains somewhat tight, many lenders are making FHA loans and some of them on the new down payment schedule.