A Marshalltown home on South Ninth Street has the distinction of being on land originally purchased by Henry Anson and the house itself previously owned by the once prosperous, but now defunct Central Iowa Railroad.

Cheri and Gerry Coleman purchased the home at 301 S. Ninth St. a number of years ago after retiring from their jobs in Florida.

Cheri retired from nursing and Gerry from a flooring company. The Colemans had lived in Marshalltown previously.

“We were excited with the extensive original woodwork, two pocket doors, wood stairway leading to the second floor and more,” Gerry said during a recent interview with the T-R.

A deep brown wood staircase original to the Coleman house is but a small sampling of the woodwork inside the home at 301 S. 9th St. in Marshalltown.

“It also has oak hardwood floors, built-in cabinets and many lead glass windows,” said Cheri.

One pocket door – and other portions on the first floor are handsomely framed in the deep brown woodwork.

The Colemans graciously consented to make their unique home available for Historical Society of Marshall County’s 2024 Home tour – a fund-raising effort to support the HSMCs mission.

The HSMC is a 116-year-old organization charged with preserving the county’s past – is urging residents to visit six historic and distinctive homes Oct. 6, from noon to 5 p.m. The event will be held rain or shine.

HSMC Board Member Julie Lang said she is extremely pleased to have the Coleman home on the tour, and she believes visitors will share her enthusiasm.

“The home’s history began in 1851, when Anson and Richard Harrington initially purchased the land,” Lang said. “A.C. Diller built the home and carriage house in 1915 at a cost between $5,000 and $6,000 according to research done by HSMC library assistant Dorie Tammen of Marshalltown.”

The carriage house has a headboard and compliments the home and history.

The dwelling was called “The Croquet House” during the early 1900s.

Many competitive matches were played there, as reported in Times-Republican archives.

Previous owner Charles Johnson and his spouse, Kris (nee Pentz) made major improvements to the home in the mid-1980s.

Lang said Marshalltown is home to four historic properties while two are in State Center.

In addition to the Coleman house, other Marshalltown homes on the tour are Julie and Kevin Hitchins’, 308 N. Fourth St., Kristyn and Barry Kell’s, 404 N. 5th St., and Jennifer and Jason Matteson’s, 608 W. Main St.

In State Center they are Jenny and Beau Hanson’s, 202 Third Ave. NW, and Mary and Craig Pfantz’s, 201 Fourth Ave. NE.

Tickets are $15 in advance and can be purchased at the HSMC’s Mowry-Irvine Mansion, 503 W. Main St., Hellberg Jewelers and Lillie Mae Chocolates in Marshalltown and Central State Bank in State Center.

Tickets purchased at the door at one of the six homes are $20. One admission purchase regardless of advance or at-the-door sale is good for touring all six homes. Children under 10 are free.

Event sponsors are Home Federal Savings Bank of Marshalltown and ProFinish Iowa of Grinnell. McFarland Clinic of Marshalltown and UnityPoint Health-Marshalltown donated supplies to make the tour possible.

“We are excited to offer the historic home tour again after a several year hiatus,” said HSMC board member Michelle Roseburrough. “We hope central Iowans will support this effort. Funds garnered from the tour will help support our mission.”

Established in 1908, HSMC is an IRS-certified 501(c)(3) organization. It does not receive state, city or county funding. It depends significantly on donations; research services, membership support a small endowment and fund-raising initiatives.

For more information about the home tour contact Lang at 641-750-4532. The Sept. 27 edition will feature the Kristyn and Barry Kell home, 404 N. 5th St., Marshalltown.