We are glad you are considering Marshalltown, Iowa! The Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce is here to help. As the “go-to” place for information about Marshalltown and its surrounding area, we are glad to supply the details you need to make an informed choice. There’s a wealth of information available with just a tap or click on our website, marshalltown.org.

The Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce is a 4-star accredited chamber of commerce as awarded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce*. Our association of businesses, organizations, and individuals has a 120-year history of working to improve the quality of life and promote the economic well-being of our community through leadership, vision, advocacy, engagement and committed participation. The Chamber’s mission, “to be a leader for business and partner for quality-of-life initiatives in the Marshalltown area,” shows our dedication to both our members and our community alike.

Simply stated, the Chamber actively seeks to lead the way in making the Marshalltown area a better place for everyone to live, work, learn and play. We’re excited to invite you to discover all Marshalltown has to offer!

Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce
709 S. Center St. • P.O. Box 1000
Marshalltown, IA 50158
(641) 753-6645
info@marshalltown.org
marshalltown.org
facebook.com/mtownchamber/
@mtownchamber

What is the best thing about living in Marshalltown?Marshalltown has “…a small-town feel — small enough to build meaningful relationships, but large enough to offer opportunities for entertainment and involvement.”A 20-something recent college graduate “Marshalltown has a small-town feel, yet offers large-city conveniences. The people are very welcoming, and I love that we can make an impact by simply getting involved. Short commutes and lunch at home with my kids are nice, too.”A recently-transplanted professional

If those assessments resonate with you, we invite you to explore our community further.

Marshalltown is a city of 27,328 residents (2017 estimate) who come from all walks of life and diverse ethnic backgrounds. We are fortunate to have a likewise diverse and sturdy economic foundation. Companies with a strong international presence and leading-edge technology state-of-the-art agricultural enterprises, and businesses with strong market share within their industry sector make up our economy. Blended into the economic mix are a committed medical community, a strong education system and the well-established and respected Iowa Veterans Home.

About the Iowa Great Places designation

How it matters

Funding from both an Iowa Great places grant and private sources allowed placement of unique and dynamic public art at the following:

• The renovated Marshalltown High School Roundhouse (Drills)
• The revitalized historic 13th Street District (Echo)“The Iowa Great Places program seeks to recognize communities that take action to enhance their local places while staying true to the qualities that makes them unique.”Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs website

What makes Marshalltown the special place it is are the very things that make us different from other communities. Our differences make us stand out among the crowd. So what is it that makes Marshalltown “distinctly different”? Here is a listing of just some of those qualities:

• A collaborative nature
•  A diverse population
• Appreciating and celebrating the arts
• A love of recreation trails
• A culture of innovation
• A commitment to STEM programming and education
• A community that believes in and supports our schools

Our community’s diversity is a big plus in attracting people to and retaining people in our area, including young professionals. Young professionals looking for communities that mirror the world and provide diverse offerings in restaurants and food markets should
look no further than Marshalltown!

Foodies and beverage gurus alike will revel in the rich mix of offerings available in Marshalltown.

MEAD (HONEY-WINE)
Buzzed Bee Meadery, located in Marshall County just minutes from Marshalltown, is Iowa’s first Meadery. Tour their grounds, then visit their tasting room to sip and sample.

CRAFT BEERS
Iowa River Brewing Company has several handcrafted beers on tap, some of which are also available bottled. The brews are made on site from quality ingredients including hops from their local hop farm. The venue also offers weekly trivia competitions plus year-round live music and comedic performances.

ROUND-THE-WORLD CUISINE
Whether you’re tempted to try Thai, want to venture into Vietnamese fare, are seeking out Asian cuisine, crave more Hispanic flavors or have a yearning for Italian, it’s all here in Marshalltown. Multiple generations of immigrants from around the world have settled in Marshalltown, bringing with them a desire to pursue the American dream as they build a new life and open new businesses.

Craving a taste of Asia? Jack’s Pho’ House features classic recipes from Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. In fact, they were named one of the Top 10 best Pho Restaurants in Iowa by bestthingsia.com.

What’s new in Marshalltown? A lot! A number of exciting projects have either recently been completed or are on track to do so. Many are brand-new; others are nothing short of remarkable make-overs. We invite you to explore the fresh places and spaces in our burgeoning community.

• City of Marshalltown new Police & Fire Headquarters: December 2018.
• Marshalltown Public Library: LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified to the Gold level, this was the first LEED-certified library in Iowa.
• Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum: An historic, multi-use building, dedicated to honor all Veterans, and currently the center of attention for renovation efforts.
• UnityPoint Health – Marshalltown Medical Park: Opened in 2015, this state-of-the-art facility conveniently offers outpatient care plus preventive and rehabilitation services all in one location.
• Leonard Grimes Memorial Amphitheater: Located at the GrimesFarm Conservation Center and opened in 2018, this outdoor venue offers three levels of quarried limestone seating surrounding a raised stage with cedar pergola, fire pit, lighting and public address system.
• Gallery Garden: The only project of its kind in Iowa, this privately owned, urban-style green space is open to the public and features paintings, sculpture, thousands of plants, the soothing sound of a fountain and cutting-edge rain harvesting technologies. (Also see page 9.)
• MEGA-10 Park: Popular with even the older kids (aka adults!) this park boasts a gravity rail zip-line (go ahead and try it!) and colorful Children’s Discovery Garden supported by the Iowa Valley Leadership Class of 2017.
• Iowa River Trail: Currently under development, this 34-mile trail is set in the beautiful countryside of the Iowa River. Perfect for runners, hikers and bikers, the trail is also open to snowmobilers.
• Marshalltown Generating Station: In 2017, Alliant Energy completed construction of this state-of-the-art, award-winning facility that supplies clean energy to Marshalltown and Central Iowa.

A City With a Rich Past and Glowing Future

Nestled within the heart of Iowa, Marshalltown embraces its dynamic hometown lifestyle, which is characterized by an ideal blend of rural and urban living. The enviable quality of life discovered in the city of today is owed in large part to the forward-thinking nature of early settlers and businessmen.

Nearly a decade after the Sac and Fox Indians signed a treaty with the U.S. government to open up the land for settlement (1842), current-day Marshalltown welcomed its first settler. Henry Anson, a now famous Iowa pioneer, chose the divide between Linn Creek and the Iowa River as the optimal site for a new town. Anson constructed his cabin on what is now Main Street, paving the way for settlement in the new town.

Anson and his fellow settlers became friendly with a local Native American chief named Johnny Green (Che Muese) who provided much-needed guidance to the men.

By 1853, the town site was platted, taking on the name Marshall, which was soon changed to Marshalltown in 1862.

The settlement began to develop in the years prior to the Civil War, and by the mid-1850s, Anson made a land contribution for the building of a county courthouse. After struggles over the location of the county seat, Marshalltown was finally given the proud designation in 1863.

After Johnny Green’s death in 1868, he was buried on a bluff overlooking the Iowa River. A tribute to the Native American leader can be seen in the form of a significant monument that stands on the grounds of the Iowa Veterans Home.

Marshalltown experienced much development in the ensuing years. Due to the advent of the railroad in town, Marshalltown was now well connected and became an attractive community for many light industries. By the onset of the 20th century, Marshalltown emerged as an established city of more than 10,000 residents and quite a few industries that would ultimately evolve into major national and international corporations.

Today, Marshalltown has transformed into a thriving city of nearly 27,500 residents who take pleasure in the establishment of a diversified base of businesses, award-winning schools, esteemed medical facilities, modern shopping centers, well-maintained recreational and cultural amenities and high-quality residential areas. While the city looks to its future, its strong heritage remains present and continues to have a profound influence in every aspect of community life today.

Map It

“GPS-ese”: Latitude 42.048480
Longitude -92.912085
Elevation 942 feet
Real-time location: Smack dab in the middle of Iowa!

Major highway connections:

• Located along U.S. Route 30 (a major east-west corridor in the state) and Highway 14.

• In close proximity to:
– Iowa Highway 330 (seven miles west).
– Interstates 35 (just 35 miles west) and 80 (just 30 miles south).

Conveniently close to: Marshalltown’s medial locality places it within one-third of Iowa’s populations, with the state’s largest cities (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Waterloo) just 65 miles away and easily accessible.

Transportation Options

• Nearby highways are convenient for trucking companies.
• Rail service for freight is handy via the Union Pacific Railroad’s main east-west line.
• Marshalltown Airport supports both corporate and noncommercial aircraft.
• (Operated by Midwest Aviation, a full-service fixed-base operator, their services include fueling and line services, an FAA-certified repair station, an air-taxi operation, flight instruction, examining services, aircraft management and local concierge services.).
• Commercial air service is available just an hour away at either the Des Moines International Airport or Cedar Rapids’ Eastern Iowa airport.

Electricity

In 2017, Alliant Energy finished construction of the new Marshalltown Generating Station, a highly efficient, state-of-the art, cost-competitive natural gas facility. This $645 million award-winning project brings an abundant power supply to Marshalltown and the Central Iowa area, providing clean energy for 500,000 homes and businesses.

Communication

• In the middle of a major fiber optics loop.
• Connected with Iowa
• Communications Network.
• SONET ring redundancy.