State Center — Population: 1,349

Known as the "Rose Capital of Iowa," State Center is a charming community that recalls the nostalgic memories of times gone by on Main Street by mingling historic preservation with modern business practice to provide a unique and interesting atmosphere and the personalized customer service that is a distinctive signature of small town Iowa. As the name implies, State Center lies near the geographic center of Iowa. It is located on US Highway 30 and is only a 20 minute drive from Marshalltown, 30 minutes from Ames, and 45 minutes from Des Moines. The original Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental highway, goes through State Center's Main Street.

State Center is very proud of its heritage and history. To that end, many community-minded people pitched in to purchase and preserve the historic Watson's Grocery Store on Main Street. The store originally was a turn-of-the-century grocery and dry goods store. Most of the antique fixtures remain, and the museum today preserves the look and feel of what was commonplace in State Center from 1895 until it closed in the 1980s.

In June of 2003, just in time for the 45th annual Rose Parade, the three-block area of State Center's historic Main Street was given a complete facelift with new sidewalks, street lighting, street resurfacing, and infrastructure. The community has made a commitment to save itself from becoming another economic ghost town by providing its full support to the Main Street program, and as a result, the downtown has begun to bloom again in the "Rose Capital of Iowa". Plan to come visit State Center soon!

State Center Main Street
PO Box 156
126 West Main Street
State Center, IA 50247
phone: 641/483-3002
fax: 641/483-3002
email: scda@partnercom.net

www.statecenteriowa.org

Town History

In 1865, two years after the Chicago and Northwestern Railway reached this point on its westward march of construction, the John I. Blair Co. laid out the original settlement. On July 6, 1867 a plat and petition for incorporation with 42 signatures was filed in the office of the county judge and on August 26, 1867 the town of State Center was incorporated.

Landmarks and Unique Local Features

• Watson's Historic Grocery Store
• Gutekunst Public Library
• State Center's "Remarkable Row" - Complete row of 14 buildings dating back to 1887
• State Center Rose Garden
• The Lincoln Highway - The first transcontinental highway

Annual Events

• June - State Center Rose Festival
• June to August - Farmers Market
• October - Fall Festival
• December - Old-Fashioned Christmas on Main

Low Interest Loan/Grant Programs & Commercial Property

Local Links

Marshall County, Iowa