Historic Mansion in Marshalltown Could Be Demolished Soon

A historic structure that has been a staple in Marshalltown, IA since 1901 could be gone by the end of the month due to its dangerous conditions, condemned status, and exorbitant restoration costs.

The Queen of Hearts mansion in Marshalltown has been in the community since 1901. Famous for its heart-shaped windows and bright-white exterior paint, the mansion is a piece of history for the community, but time, neglect, and weather has taken its toll on the structure to the point where demolition might be the only solution.

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In their story on the dwindling days the mansion could have left, KCCI caught up with Kurt Lynch, a professional carpenter who lives across the street from the property:

It's a piece of history. When when it's gone, it's gone. There is no bringing this back. So to go in a house like this, I stand in awe... the pocket doors, the cherry woodwork, the ornateness. The fireplace that was there with the benches that wrap to it. The heart windows that you see up there - Kurt Lynch, per KCCI

The owner of the Queen of Hearts mansion lives next door, and while he has expressed a desire to restore it, the project would cost more than the estate is worth. Estimated restoration costs exceed $1 million, which is infeasible even if he were planning to reopen it as a property equipped for tours and events.

The home was condemned by Marshalltown Housing and Community Development due to its dangerous conditions. The 2018 Pella-Marshalltown tornado, coupled with the famous 2020 derecho that rocked multiple states, in the Midwest contributed to its aesthetic decline, although it hasn't dampened the mansion's unique features, most specifically those heart-shaped windows.

While the project is dependent on securing demolition permits, the Queen of Hearts mansion could cease to exist by the end of September. Read more about the likely end-of-the-line for the historic Marshalltown home on KCCI's website.