Walter & Edna Johnson House

219 S. 26th Ave. E.

The Walter and Edna Johnson House was built by John Raynold (Ray) Gunderson, a carpenter/contractor who lived in West Duluth. The brick house is a raised ranch in the Prairie Style and may have been a variation of a “pattern book” house, as a very similar one is located in Kingston, New York. The building permit was applied for on October 17, 1957, the plumbing permit on June 2, 1958.

The Johnsons likely moved into their new home in the second half of 1958, since they are listed in the 1959 Duluth City Directory. Walter E. Johnson was the “tax chief” for the Oliver Iron Mining Division of the U.S. Steel Corporation at the time. His wife, Edna, was a homemaker. They had two sons: Gary (b. 1939) and Ward (b. 1944). After Walter’s death (year unknown) Edna lived here together with son Ward until her death in 1997. Ward continued to live here through 2017.