Marshalltown, Iowa

In April 1851, Anson found what he described as “the prettiest place in Iowa.” On a high point between the Iowa River and Linn Creek, Anson built a log cabin.

In 1853 Anson named the town Marshall, after Marshall, Michigan, a former residence of his.

The town became Marshalltown in 1862 because another Marshall already existed in Henry County (In 1880, Marshall's name changed to Wayland).

In 1863 the title of county seat transferred from the village of Marietta to Marshalltown.

The Marshalltown team, with Henry Anson at third base, Adrian's brother Sturgis in center field, and Adrian at second base, won the Iowa state championship in 1868.

In 1870 Marshalltown played an exhibition game with the talented Rockford Forest Citys.

Adrian accepted the contract, which began his professional career in baseball in 1871.

In 1874, high school classes were held in an old building on North Center Street.

In 1882, with Sunday in left field, the Marshalltown team defeated the state champion Des Moines team 13–4.

This railroad was sold to the Chicago and North Western Railway in 1884, which itself was sold to Union Pacific Railroad in 1995.

By 1900, Marshalltown had 10,000 residents.

From 1914 to 1928 the team played in the Central Association and Mississippi Valley League.

Marshalltown plays a small but significant role in the life of Ebe Dolliver, a main character in MacKinlay Kantor's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "Andersonville" (1955).

=== Natural disasters === ==== Tornado history ==== On April 23, 1961, the south side of town was hit by an F3 tornado.

The district was established on July 1, 1992, by the merger of the LDF and SEMCO school districts.

Federal law enforcement have twice raided the Swift & Company (now JBS) meatpacking plant, first in 1996 and again in 2006, arresting suspected undocumented immigrants for alleg...

=== 2000 census === As of the 2000 census, there were 26,009 people, 10,175 households, and 6,593 families residing in the city.

One study estimated the 2006 raid caused a 6-month to 1-year economic recession in the area.

=== 2010 census === As of the 2010 census, there were 27,552 people, 10,335 households, and 6,629 families residing in the city.

Marshalltown would be hit again on July 19, 2018, when another EF3 tornado with peak winds of 145 mph moved directly through downtown at 4:37 p.m.

==== 2020 derecho ==== On August 10, 2020, Marshalltown was hit by a powerful derecho, which caused extensive damage throughout the city.

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 10,127 estimated households in Marshalltown with an average of 2.59 persons per household.

=== Top employers === According to the city's 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are: == Education == Marshalltown Community School ...

== Demographics == According to realtor website Zillow, the average price of a home as of November 30, 2025, in Marshalltown is $169,711.