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Zeno's Mural

Here are three pictures of the new murals painted on the east and south side of Zeno's.  The below article from the TR tells a little about it.  On the left of the south side is our old post office.  Pappa's is an old clothing store.  On the north end of the east side is the bank that was located at 5 West Main when we were kids.  What I understand was the painting cost the group $15,000 but Terry Kluck spent approximately $35,000 preparing the walls for the artist.

Mural links Marshalltown’s past to famous magician T. Nelson Downs

June 6, 2011
BY MIKE DONAHEY - Staff Writer (mdonahey@timesrepublican.com) , Times-Republican

A mural of a theater which existed more than 100 years ago will connect Marshalltown's rich historic past with one of its favorite sons - T. Nelson ("Tommy") Downs.

The mural is of the Lyric Theater and it is being painted by Decorah artist Carl Homstad on the south side of Zeno's Pizza building at 109 E. Main St.

It is part of a Marshalltown Development Corp. effort to beautify downtown and acknowledge the area's celebrated history.

And Downs contributed much to that era's entertainment history as a world-famous magician who performed illusions and coin tricks before kings and other heads of state in Europe at the turn of the 20th century. He returned to Marshalltown numerous times to perform his magic acts.

The Times-Republican bestowed the honor "King of Koins" on Downs. That moniker was used on posters and other promotional period and it stuck throughout his life.

He retired to Marshalltown in 1912 and managed the Lyric (previously known as the Theatorium) at 11 W. Main St.

Later, he opened a vaudville-motion picture house, the Casino, at 207 E. Main St.

Downs was born on a farm near Garwin, in 1867, according to records from the Historical Society of Marshall County.

He was the son of Thomas L. and Cordelia Abbot Downs.

"Downs' life was similar to many people of those times," said Emmet Lampkin previously to the T-R. Lampkin is former director of the Historical Society of Marshall County. "His father died when Downs was only nine months old," he said. "Later, Downs' mother moved the children to Montour where she taught school for several years."

He worked in Montour as a telegraph operator at the depot and as a night agent in Le Grand. A job with the the Chicago and Northwestern Rail Road Company brought him to Marshalltown.

Downs became interested in magic at a young age and practiced it continuously.

Marshalltown writer Lori Wildman researched Downs' life and discovered evidence of Downs practicing his craft in school.

It earned him a scolding from a teacher, according to Wildman.

She wrote: "Tommy Downs you may stay after school and write 100 times 'I must not fool away my time in school,' referring to his first attempts at conjuring in the classroom. About 20 years later the same teacher congratulated Downs on his fine talent backstage at a Los Angeles performance."

It was reported that Downs had special 50-cent pieces made especially for the fit of his hands. After years of practice with regular half dollars, Downs used those special coins in his performances. Fellow magician's recalled Downs' strong, yet delicate hands, which were able to hold up to 40 coins at once and palm 10 at one time.

Downs wrote two books "Modern Coin Manipulation" and "The Art of Magic" which are considered classics.

A magic club that meets monthly in Sioux City bears his name, it is the T. Nelson Downs Ring No. 24 of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. It was formed in 1933 and reorganized several years later.

Club member Dave Madsen previously told the T-R the club meets monthly and its members practice a variety of magic skills.

Madsen said that club archives are not clear as to why the club was named after Downs. He speculated that it was named for him as he was a well-known magician in the 1930s and club members wanted him honored.

"Downs was a master at card and coin manipliaton," Madsen said. "He invented what is known as the 'Down's Palm' a coin hiding method."

After retiring Downs rarely ventured outside of Marshall County, although Marshalltown residents remembered his impromptu performances on Main Street park benches and in hotel lobbies.

"In 1935, more than 100 magicians from across the country gathered at the Hotel Tallcorn for testimonial dinner," wrote Wildman.

Downs died at his home at 7 S. Third Ave. Sept. 11, 1938 from diabetes-related complications.

He is buried in the Fairview section of Marshalltown's Riverside Cemetery. "King of Koins" is on his tombstone.

 


     
   
 
H. Victor "Vic" Hellberg
 
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Maureen O'Bryon
 
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