Gordon & Ethel (Douglass) Dinsmore, 1940s

Ethel (Douglass) and Gordon J. Dinsmore pose for a photograph with their arms around each other. Ethel wears a knee length dress with a belt, and Gordon has on his Navy white uniform.

Gordon and Ethel (Douglass) Dinsmore married in 1924 and moved to 107 Fifth Street in Coralville. In 1930, they bought the John Davis house and moved it to 105 5th Street, opening it as a restaurant called Dinty's Place. After eleven years, they sold the restaurant to George Richmond, and opened another restaurant with the same name at 608 Fifth Street while living at 604 Fifth Street. They later sold the second restaurant to Reggie Eckhoff.

The Dinsmores also opened and operated Iowa's first trailer park. Called "Dinty's Trailer Court", the park opened in 1937. In 1950, the Dinsmores sold the property to Louise Fairchild. The park was renamed as Coralville Trailer Park (Lovetinsky et al, p. 99).

Coralville Public Library. Coralville Digital History Library.

1940s

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Johnson County, Iowa