CORNING, Iowa — If it weren’t for the sign out front, there’d be no way of knowing that the historic home at the corner of Davis Avenue and 13th Street in Corning, Iowa, was the birthplace of a TV icon.

The famous host of “The Tonight Show,” Johnny Carson, was born in Corning in 1925. The home where he spent the first few years of his life is also where he was born.

Carson’s family moved around fairly frequently throughout his childhood, leading him to typically be associated with Nebraska roots. His childhood home in Corning later became a rental property.

The house was bought by a group that formed the Johnny Carson Birthplace Society in 2005. They took about a decade to restore the home, spending upwards of a quarter of a million dollars.

Now, the house resembles its state in 1925 as closely as possible, using old photographs and consulting experts for comparison. It’s been furnished to give it a 1925 feel.

Throughout the house are Johnny Carson’s family photos and other memorabilia. Board members of the Birthplace Society hope interest in the house grows, aspiring to one day build a visitor’s center.

Above all, walking through Johnny Carson’s birthplace reminds one of his humble beginnings. And that anyone can achieve their dreams with enough hard work.

Johnny Carson’s Birthplace hosts tours on Saturdays throughout the summer. Tours can also be arranged by appointment. Additionally, the Birthplace Society plans to hold an event in October on what would have been Carson’s 100th birthday.