T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Pictured recently is the Julie and Kevin Hitchins home at 308 N. 4th St. in Marshalltown. Their home is one of six available to visit during the Oct. 6 Tour of Historic Marshall County Homes sponsored by the Historical Society of Marshall County.

Editor’s Note: This is the fourth of six articles appearing in the Times-Republican featuring six historical homes in Marshall County. They are part of the Historical Society of Marshall County’s (HSMC) Oct. 6 Historical Home Tour — a fundraising effort. The article below features the Julie and Kevin Hitchins home in Marshalltown.

Remodeling a historic home does not mean its unique features will be overshadowed or eliminated.

An example is the Julie and Kevin Hitchins home at 308 N. Fourth St. in Marshalltown.

The Hitchins — and their designer — Kathy Deines of The Cabinet Shoppe of Marshalltown — worked to blend in the home’s original kitchen features while constructing areas to display Julie Hitchins’ collection of Fiesta dishes, according to HSMC library/museum assistant Dorie Tammen of Marshalltown.

The home’s highlights include its original room configuration, oak floors and woodwork.

Hargrave Construction of Marshalltown completed the remodel.

Julie Hitchins has tastefully decorated the home with fall décor, according to Tammen.

Fittingly, the home was selected to be part of the HSMC’s Home Tour.

The HSMC, a 116-year-old organization charged with preserving the county’s unique artifacts, 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,’ according to Julie Lang, home tour coordinator and HSMC board member.

Lang said she is extremely pleased to have the Hitchins home on the tour.

“Julie and Kevin have lived in the home for nearly 30 years,” she said. “We are thrilled it is part of this year’s tour.”

Lang believes visitors will share her enthusiasm. Other property owners have been Jane Johnson, John and Bessie Bass, Dan and Alice Shaw, James and Myrtle Evans, James and Marilyn Elledge and Gilbert, and Ava Demry.

The Demrys were longtime educators and owned the home from 1965-1995.

In addition to the Coleman house, other Marshalltown homes on the tour are Cheri and Gerry Coleman’s 301 S 9th St., Kristyn and Barry Kell’s, 404 N. Fifth St., and Jennifer and Jason Matteson at 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 HSMCs Mowry-Irvine Mansion, 503 W. Main St., Hellberg Jewelers and Lillie Mae’s Chocolates in Marshalltown and Central State Bank in State Center.

Tickets purchased at the door – at any 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, accompanied by an adult.

Guides will be available at all homes.

HSMC board members will be at all homes to welcome visitors and answer questions about the organization. Event sponsors are Home Federal Savings Bank and MinuteMan of Marshalltown and ProFinish Iowa of Grinnell.

McFarland Clinic of Marshalltown and UnityPoint Health-Marshalltown donated supplies.

“We are excited to offer the historic home tour again after a several year hiatus,” said HSMC board member Steve Ryan of Le Grand. “We hope central Iowans will support this effort. Funds earned from the tour will help maintain our collection and properties.

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. 30 edition of the T-R will feature the Jenny and Beau Hanson home at 202 3rd Ave. NW in State Center.