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Randolph Dodd and his brother Jacob Dodd were builders who collaborated on more than 50 structures in Deanwood, the place of their birth. In addition each was responsible for a number of other building projects. They are part of a long tradition of craftsmen and architects in the Deanwood neighborhood. This house was designed, built, and occupied by Randolph Dodd around 1920.

The brothers began their house-building trade in 1921. They established a community tradition of building sound structures despite their limited access to materials and funds. Randolph Dodd built primarily for investors but also designed and built houses for individuals. White real estate developer Howard S. Gott often hired Dodd to build modest houses, including the houses that remain today on the east side of the 1000 block of 49th Street (north of Sheriff Road). Dodd relied on a network of local laborers and craftsmen for his projects. Some of his craftsmen became so proficient that they were able to go into business as builders themselves. Unlike other architects, Dodd did not have the academic training to become licensed by the city as a professional architect, but he was nonetheless recognized and employed as such throughout his career.

Deanwood is a community of modest single-family and semi-detached dwellings built from approximately 1895 to 1946. Most are suburban in style and feel, giving Deanwood the feel of a small country town rather than an urban neighborhood. The Dodd brothers were active during a wave of building that added more than 120 houses to the area from 1921 until 1927.