History
With its abundance of historic sites, Marshall is the perfect place for travelers interested in heritage tourism. Experience Old-South plantations. Discover the pivotal role Marshall played in the Civil War. Explore the regions industrial past by visiting historic sawmills, iron ore-furnaces and turn-of-the-century oil derricks. Ride on the Texas State Railroad. Learn about African American communities, churches and cemeteries. And shop in Marshall historic downtown, one of the oldest downtowns in Texas.
Marshall occupies a site once densely forested and dotted with the villages of friendly Caddo Indians. The first tourists were Conquistadors, and repeated expeditions resulted in the establishment of Part Caddo, a short-lived, lakeside Spanish Settlement. Founded in 1842, the city of Marshall is older than the State of Texas and is laid out on seven hills following the pattern of Rome. It is named after U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall.
By 1850, Marshall was the seventh largest city in Texas; the census of 1860 moved it to fourth place. The city was the first in Texas to have a telegraph and Marshall played a strategic role in the War Between the States. The first and last Civil War governors, Edward Clark and Pendleton Murrah were from Marshall.
From November of 1863 until June of 1865, Marshall functioned as the capital of Missouri in exile. This give Marshall the distinction of having seven sovereign flags Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Southern Confederacy, the State of Missouri, and the United States. When Texas and Pacific Railway's transcontinental service began making daily stops at the Marshall Depot, the city became known as The Gateway to the Southwest. T&P played a major role in Marshall's economic renaissance in 1870 with the opening of its shops in north Marshall. The craftsmen who came to work there used their skills to construct their own homes of ornate Victorian architecture.
Eight pottery manufacturers are located here, including Marshall Pottery-Deroma, the world's largest manufacturer of terra cotta products. Ancient pottery shards and other items retrieved from Caddo Indian burial mounds are among exhibits at the Harrison County Museum, which also maintains extensive genealogical records. While its home, the old county courthouse, undergoes a multi-million dollar restoration, the museum operates in the old Ginocchio Hotel, adjacent to the Depot Museum, a storehouse for Marshall's railroad history.
Many of Marshall's Victorian houses have been restored and several accept bed-and-breakfast guests. And in recent years, residents and visitors alike have witnessed a revitalization of the downtown business district, including the multi-million dollar restoration of Hotel Marshall.