County Offerings

Marshalltown boasts the Fisher Community Center.  This multi-purpose community facility was the vision of J.W. “Bill” Fisher who, with his wife Dorothy, recognized the importance of an enhanced quality of life and made their personal collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist art available to the public through a permanent display at the Center.  (The Fisher family founded the prominent and thriving business Fisher Controls, now a division of Emerson Process Management.)  Also housed in the Community Center is a world renowned ceramics collection and 10 pieces of sculpture from Christian Petersen.  Bill Fisher commissioned Petersen to create a statue representing the ideals of the Community Center.  “Dedication to the Future” is a statue of a man holding a child up above a reflecting pond, symbolizing the theme, “We lift up our young to see beyond that which we can see.”  For performance spaces there are numerous possibilities, including the Marshalltown High School Auditorium, the Martha-Ellen Tye Playhouse, the Orpheum Center (currently under renovation), the Helio Portes, a black box theater, at the Marshalltown Community College and other multi-use spaces

State Center’s Main Street is a museum in itself.  Where a visit to “Watson’s Grocery” is a step back in time and right down the street is a barber’s shop displaying objects from a variety of periods.  On the other end of the map is Conrad, where the streets are clean and pride in their community is unsurpassed. While Conrad is actually in Grundy County, the Main Street Organization has joined the Marshall County Arts & Culture Alliance as a member. 

Albion, Clemons, Ferguson, Gilman, Haverhill, Laurel, Le Grand, Liscomb, Melbourne, Rhodes and Saint Anthony are all vital communities and have their individual characters; however, the ties that bind remain.  Quality of life is the focus for these towns.  Iowans are deeply proud of their heritage.  These surrounding towns offer a slower pace, where neighbors know each other by name, and greet each other accordingly.  A wave from a farmer driving his grain truck on the serene roads should be expected. 

As for the ethnic culture of Marshall County, German heritage prevails with a sprinkling of Nordic influence.  However, there is a growing Latino influence sparking the streets with immigrant vitality and adding a new depth to this traditional community.  This relatively recent change in demographics creates a reflection among the long-time residents about their own heritage and the future of Marshall County.  

Throughout Marshalltown and Marshall County arts and culture are alive and thriving.  Sweet corn pickings….. farmers selling their organic products….. quilters perfecting their time-honored and time-intensive skills..… performance artists who take up tremendous projects and turn out exceptional quality entertainment….. librarians reading captivating stories to the children of the county.  All this can be found in this county of 40,000 people.