(This story was originally written and recorded for Retrocast 42, released on June 3, 2026.)

In February 1933, a fire damaged a house at 1527 Fourth Street Northeast in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The property was owned by two sisters: 50-year-old widow Mrs. Frances Urzonske and Mrs. Frances Vecharek.

Only Mrs. Urzonske lived there. Mrs. Vecharek rented out her half of the building to a couple and their six children.

After the fire, a large hole remained in the section occupied by Mrs. Urzonske, while the rented half was mostly untouched.

The two sisters could not agree on how to handle the damage.

Mrs. Urzonske wanted the house demolished and rebuilt, but her sister strongly opposed that plan.

As a result, Mrs. Urzonske’s half of the house remained exposed to the weather. Over time, snow, sleet, rain, soot, mosquitoes, and flies made living there unbearable.

When the sisters still could not reach an agreement, Mrs. Urzonske took matters into her own hands and hired a carpenter to address the damage.

She said, “I own half the house. So, I will just have him saw off my half, move it over a bit, and build anew.”

That is exactly what happened. The carpenter carefully separated the two halves and began building a colonial-style bungalow about 3 feet (1 meter) from the original location of her half of the house. (The Star Tribune article does not make clear whether the bungalow was entirely new construction or a renovation of the old structure.) In the meantime, Mrs. Urzonske lived in two sheds at the back of the property while her new home was being completed.

Meanwhile, the remaining half of the original building stood with its rear wall fully exposed to the elements, including its beams, plaster, lath, and an open doorway that had once connected to Mrs. Urzonske’s portion.

Mrs. Urzonske said she felt sorry for the tenants but hoped the city would condemn the remaining structure and order it demolished.

“It will be a good lesson to somebody,” she said, clearly referring to her sister. “The whole place should have been torn down.”