Some in Marshalltown think Grant Wood mural may be hidden in building

A restoration company will determine if murals painted by famed Iowa artist Grant Wood are hidden beneath panels in a Marshalltown building.

The possibility that murals by the artist who painted the iconic "American Gothic" were concealed in the Tallcorn Towers apartment building arose after a story last year in the Times-Republican newspaper.

That story noted a 1949 article in the newspaper, which reported Wood had been commissioned to decorate the Tallcorn's ballroom and restaurant.

The Times-Republican reports local historians aren't aware that Wood worked in the building, but speculation has centered on a hallway near a ballroom.

The building was recently sold, and Koester Construction Co. of Grimes will soon begin extensive renovations. Koester has hired Renaissance Restoration Inc. of Galena, Ill., to determine if the murals exist.