T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY The Kristyn and Barry Kell home at 404 N. Fifth St. in Marshalltown is shown recently. It is one of six homes featured as part of the Historical Society of Marshall County's Historical Home Tour scheduled for Oct. 6.

Editor’s Note: This is the third of six articles appearing in the Times-Republican featuring six historical homes in Marshall County. They are included in the Historical Society of Marshall County’s (HSMC) Historical Home Tour — a fundraising effort. The article below features the Kristyn and Barry Kell home, 404 N. Fifth St., Marshalltown.

Marshalltown’s northwest neighborhood is not only the site of the historic Iowa Veterans Home — which admitted its first resident in 1887 — but also of a stately property once occupied by members of the Fisher family.

It was William Fisher, an immigrant, who founded Fisher Governor Co. It remained a locally-owned and managed family business from its incorporation in 1888 until its sale to Monsanto Co. in 1969.

Kristyn and Barry Kell of Marshalltown are now owners of 404 N. Fifth St., having purchased the property in 2020.

The Kells have made the home available for the HSMCs Historical Home Tour Oct. 6 – beginning at noon and concluding at 5 p.m. The tour is a fundraising effort to support HSMCs mission to preserve the county’s rich heritage.

Specifically, funds from the tour will help support HSMCs operations and preserve important county artifacts as well as HSMC properties — the Taylor School #4 at 19 N. Second Ave. and the Mowry-Irvine Mansion, 503 W. Main St. — both in Marshalltown.

Barry Kell, an at-large city councilor and himself an employee of Emerson (formerly Fisher), said the home has been well preserved by its former owners.

“It has original woodwork and crown-molding throughout,” he said.

Passed down from owner to owner are the home’s finished blueprints, prepared by Robert Fletcher, a Chicago architect.

The lot was purchased in 1910 by E.R. and Alice Lay – the home’s original owners. Kell estimated that the home was built in 1911 or 1912. Archives show that the cost was $12,000.

Jasper and Florence Fisher purchased the home in 1920, according to research compiled by HSMC library/museum assistant Dorie Tammen.

It would be home to their four children — Martha-Ellen (nee Fisher) Tye, Bill, Emily (nee Fisher) Cartwright and Charles.

Martha-Ellen would leave a distinguished legacy as a generous philanthropist and tireless promoter of the arts.

Jasper managed Fisher Governor Co. from 1912 until his death in 1938. After Jasper’s death, Florence became president, overseeing day-to-day operations for 10 years. She was succeeded by son Bill, who grew the company exponentially.

In 1954, the company had sales of $2 million. In 1969, it was valued at $100 million. Other notable property owners were Dr. Edwin and Mildred Cobb — who purchased the home from Jasper and Florence in 1927.

Cobb was an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist who practiced in the iconic Masonic Temple. Other property owners were Wendell and Margaret Dunkerton, Kenneth and Susan Braden, and Michael and Ellen Bergman.

HSMC Board Member Julie Lang said Marshalltown has four historic properties available to tour while two are in State Center.

In addition to the Kell home, other Marshalltown homes on the tour are Cheri and Gerry Coleman, 301 S. Ninth St., Julie and Kevin Hitchins’, 308 N. Fourth St., and Jennifer and Jason Matteson’s, 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, 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 — is $20. One admission purchase regardless of advance or at-the-door sale is good for touring all six homes.

Children under 10 accompanied by an adult are free. Guides will be available at all homes.

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 to make the tour possible.

HSMC is an IRS-certified 501(c)(3) organization. It does not receive state, city or county funding. It relies solely on donations; payment for research services, dues-paying members, a small endowment and fund-raising initiatives.

“A number of forward-thinking women started HSMC in 1908,” said Lang. “They believed it was necessary to remember the county’s past while embracing its future.”

For more information about the home tour contact Lang at 641-750-4532.

The next story in the Sept. 28-29 edition of the T-R will spotlight the Hitchins home in Marshalltown.