Story #39: 1717 Country Club Avenue (Built 1928)
Some homes were designed to impress.
Others were designed to belong perfectly to their setting.
“The French Home” at 1717 Country Club Ave. managed to do both.
Designed by architect Charles W. Rosenberry, the picturesque brick-and-stucco residence was created specifically for its prominent corner lot at Country Club Avenue and Decatur Street — directly across from what would later become Metcalfe Park.
With its steep rooflines, storybook details, and turret-like corner, the home looked almost like something pulled from the pages of a European fairytale.
The lot was originally owned by Rosenberry’s wife, Edythe, but after construction was completed in 1928, the home was sold to Dr. Arlo M. Dunn, a rising Omaha orthodontist already becoming well known for his civic leadership and community involvement.
And the house quickly became part of Omaha society life.
In October 1934, Arlo's wife Gertrude hosted 200 women at the home for a tea party for the women’s division of the Frost-for-County Attorney Club. Dr. Dunn himself was also making headlines. In 1934, the Omaha Junior Chamber of Commerce named him Omaha’s “Most Distinguished Citizen Under 35,” recognizing both his professional success and civic leadership.
Like many Country Club homes, 1717 reflected the modern ideas and comforts of its era. Newspaper stories highlighted innovative heating improvements installed in the house, as well as landscaping completed by noted nurseryman Forrest Byrd. A Sept. 3, 1929, Omaha Bee advertisement from Metropolitan Utilities District reported that gas heat for the previous eight-month winter season cost just $225.30 — or about $28.17 per month. By September 1933, another advertisement noted the eight-room home cost only $180.94 to heat for the entire winter.
The home also witnessed Omaha history in small and unexpected ways. In August 1928, shortly after the Dunns moved in, a violent storm shattered the home’s chimney and scattered debris across the roof while the couple unpacked from a trip.
In July 1940, Lewis C. and Marjorie H. Curtis purchased the home. Lewis was vice president of the Lyman Richey Sand & Gravel Co at the time. Over the years, they made additions and updates while carefully retaining much of its original charm and dramatic appearance. After Lewis’ death in 1953, Marjorie continued living in the home until 1983.
The current owners purchased the property in April 2011 and immediately fell in love with its expansive grounds, park setting, and welcoming neighborhood. Inspired by the large lot and gardening potential, the homeowner even became a master gardener to better understand what plants and landscaping would thrive there.
Nearly a century after it was built, 1717 Country Club Ave. still feels exactly as Rosenberry intended — elegant, distinctive, and deeply connected to its surroundings.
Photo Captions:
Image of 1717 Country Club Avenue from original Metcalfe Company sales brochure.
Mr. Arlo Dunn's 'testimony' about the merits of gas heat from the Sept. 3, 1929 issue of the Omaha Bee.
Open House announcement from the Aug. 26, 1934 Omaha World-Herald.
Mr. and Mrs. R.W. Lee purchased 1717 Country Club as announced in the Omaha Bee on Jan. 20, 1935.
Social announcement for a tea held at 1717 in the Oct. 27, 1934 Omaha World-Herald.
An original plat map showing Creighton Park, the land that would later include 1717 Country Club Avenue.
Photo courtesy Douglas County Assessor.
