Completed in 1903, this building was originally named Engineering Hall. It was built to house the College of Engineering, the Physics Department, and the State Highway Commission.

In 1947 Engineering Hall was renamed to honor Anson Marston, a world-renowned engineer who in 1897 was responsible for the design and construction of the first free-standing water tower west of the Mississippi, an engineering marvel that still stands today, less than 100 feet from Marston Hall.

Anson Marston joined the Iowa State faculty in 1892 and served as Dean of Engineering from 1904 until 1932, during which time Iowa State established a reputation as one of the best engineering schools in the world, a reputation that endures today.