T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Pictured is the Jennifer and Jason Matteson home at 608 W. Main St. in Marshalltown. It is one of six historical properties to be featured Oct. 6 during the Historical Society of Marshall County's Home Tour event.

Editor’s Note: This is the first of six articles appearing daily featuring four historic homes in Marshalltown and two in State Center included in the Historical Society of Marshall County’s (HSMC) Historical Home Tour — a fundraising initiative. The article below features the Jennifer and Jason Matteson home in Marshalltown.

Marshalltown’s West Main Street stands out for its many unique commercial and residential properties. However, one that is truly eye-catching with its distinctive front porch and roof design is the Jennifer and Jason Matteson home at 608 W. Main St.

A highlight is that the home maintains much of its original charm complete with 12-foot ceilings on much of the first floor. It is also special because only two families resided in the home for the first 107 years of its 144-year history.

The Mattesons graciously made their home available for the Historical Society of Marshall County’s 2024 Home tour — a fundraising 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,’ according to Julie Lang, home tour coordinator and HSMC board member.

Lang said she is thrilled to have the Matteson home on the tour.

“Improvements continue to be made in the home that ‘is lived in and loved in’ by the Mattesons with the three youngest of their six children,” she said.

Lang, a retired educator who is enthusiastic about area history, said the family has worked diligently maintaining the home’s interior and exterior.

It was built in 1880 and is commonly known as the Gravatt House. The Victorian-style house was built for George Turner — a vice-president of Marshalltown State Bank.

In 1904, the house was sold to Perry Arney and spouse. Arney, an Albon native, at one time owned the largest farm implement store in Marshall County.

The Arneys’ daughter — Wanda Gravatt — lived in the house until 1987. The Turners — and later the Arneys — were the only two families who lived in the home’s first 107 years, according to extensive research by HSMC library assistant Dorie Tammen of Marshalltown.

Both families entertained extensively with Gravatt frequently playing the piano, according to Tammen.

Gravatt would go on to teach piano in the parlor to generations of students. After the Arneys, the home was owned by three other families before being purchased from Bobbi and John Olson by the Mattesons in 2020.

Lang said Marshalltown is home to four historic properties that are part of the tour, while two are in State Center. In addition to the Mattesons, other Marshalltown homes on the tour belong to Cheri and Gerry Coleman at 301 S. Ninth St, Julie and Kevin Hitchins at 308 N. Fourth St., Kristyn and Barry Kell at 404 N. Fifth St.

In State Center, they are Jenny and Beau Hansons’, 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 one of the six homes – is $20. Children under 10 are free. One admission purchase is good for touring all homes.

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 president Dan Brandt. “We hope central Iowans will support this effort.”

Established in 1908, HSMC is an IRS-certified 501(c)(3) organization. It does not receive city or county funding. It depends significantly on donations, membership support and fundraising initiatives.

For more information about the home tour, contact Lang at 641-750-4532. The next story in the Sept. 26 edition will feature the Cheri and Gerry Coleman home at 301 S. Ninth St. in Marshalltown.