McGregor Home Tour: Part 4
Schultz Home, 15483 Jasper Ave.
The Turner Park: Fitness for All Ages Committee is sponsoring a tour of four unique McGregor homes on Sunday, Aug. 18, from 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased the day of the event at each participating property. All proceeds will go toward adding a splash pad at Turner Park. Over the past few weeks, North Iowa Times editor Audrey Posten has been featuring each home included in the tour.
Jim and Maggie Schultz’s stately red-brick home on Jasper Avenue has a historic feel, but only dates back to 2002, when it was constructed on land outside McGregor where Jim grew up.
Maggie said they liked the look, as well as the easier maintenance, of the brick exterior. And that ease transfers indoors, to an open kitchen and living room.
“We wanted something easily accessible—no steps on the main floor,” said Maggie.
Windows are prevalent, offering picturesque views of the lawn and gardens.
“I like to see outside,” Maggie shared. “I love my garden and flowers. I’ve always been a big gardener.”
In fact, when the Schultzes moved to their current home, they brought parts of their old kitchen along, installing them in the basement to give Maggie the perfect area to can the vegetables she enjoys growing.
The home’s decorative style favors chickens, especially in the kitchen.
“They’re my thing,” Maggie quipped. “I used to raise chickens.”
Many other items on display hold sentimental value. Above the living room fireplace is a large charcoal drawing of a stately tree, completed by Jim and Maggie’s granddaughter.
“We have an old oak tree that sits in the middle of a field. It’s probably been there 100 years,” Maggie said. “I started going out and taking pictures of it in different seasons.” She shared one of the images with her son’s family and, last year for Christmas, was happily surprised to receive a drawing in return.
In addition, Maggie proudly shows off her grandmother’s collection of bowls and plates, a portion of Jim’s aunt’s doll collection and many other family heirlooms.
“I also have a collection of things from my son’s travels,” she said. Steven Schultz is a commander in the U.S. Navy and has sent mementos from as far away as Italy, Japan and Greece—even a linen tablecloth from Ireland.
One of the home’s biggest collections, though, is Jim’s American Flyer train set, which has its own special room upstairs.
“He got it when he was in eighth grade from McGregor Hardware,” probably around 1950, said Maggie. “His parents gave him the first set for Christmas.”
It sat idle for years, but when they moved to their new home, Maggie said Jim took an interest again and began acquiring other pieces. The unique display will be available for viewing during the home tour.
Jasper Avenue is located off Highway 18, just outside McGregor. The highway bisects the road, so make sure you take the portion on the same side as Maggie’s Diner. Once on Jasper Avenue, travel until you reach a “T,” then take a right. The Schultz home is the second house at the end of that stretch.
