City of Marshall history

National House Inn - Mann's Hotel, as the villagers called it, was formally opened on New Years Eve 1836 with the first ball held in Marshall.

Marshall’s history began when the area received its first known settlers in 1839.

Adam Crosswhite was an escaped slave who arrived in Marshall with his family in 1844 by following the Underground Railroad.

Shortly after its founding, the thriving town was expected to become the capital of Michigan, but lost to Lansing in 1847.

By 1850, Marshall was booming and was the fifth largest city in Texas and one of the wealthiest to boot.

Capitol Hill School Museum - built in 1860, this school was in use for 101 years

Museum of Magic --- Prest - Change -O! From saloon to billiard parlor, to clothing ctore, to museum, this edifice, built in 1868, has known many transformations.

In 1871, Jay Gould established the Texas and Pacific railroad in the area and located its shops in Marshall.

In 1872, the Northern Methodist Freedman's Aid Society established Wiley University, a college for African Americans.

Taking advantage of the opportunity at the time to expand educational opportunities for African Americans, the Northern Baptist Home Missionary Society founded Bishop College in 1882.

The City of Marshall entered the municipal electric and utility ownership and operation in 1893 by acquiring the hydroelectric plant from the Perrin Estate.

Today, Marshall is home to many beautiful historic homes, sites and the picturesque 1901 Harrison County Courthouse which has been described as one of the most famous and admired buildings in Texas.

The Inter-Urban --- Saturday April 11, 1903 - the first interurban car rolled majestically through the city of Marshall to Battle Creek.

Two new larger water wheels of 175 kva and 250 kva were purchased and installed for $10,620 through a bond issue in 1910.

The larger water wheel is currently in use today along with one of the 1919 versions.

Harold Brooks began the preservation movement in the late 1920’s, only he called it “city beautification.” He bought, restored and then sold at least 20 key structures.

These units were installed in a new building built to the north of the Hydro Plant and were placed in service in 1922 at which time the contract with Commonwealth Power Company was discontinued.

Bill Vosburg was Marshall's first Police Chief, hired in 1926 as a traffic officer.

In 1930, when the City celebrated its centennial, the Town Hall was moved to the renovated "old livery" where, it stands today.

1936 - One new Nordberg diesel engine, rated at 1,250 H.P. and 860 kW

Chapter One - The Early Days Chapter Two - The Roster: Early Days Chapter Three - The Roster: 1940's to Present Marshall's First Chief Historical Archives Please click on a link above to advance to the appropriate section.

1942 - An addition was added to the west end of the existing power plant and one new Nordberg diesel engine rated at 1,500 H.P. and 1,000 kW was installed.

In 1944 it became a four-year institution and was renamed East Texas Baptist College.

1948 - One new Nordberg diesel engine rated at 2,400 H.P. and 1,875 kW was installed.

In 1979, the City of Marshall and four nearby communities formed a joint agency, called The Michigan South Central Power Agency (MSCPA) and installed a 55 MW steam powered generator in Litchfield, Michigan.

Texas State Technical College established a campus in Marshall in 1992.

FORMER MPD POLICE MOTORCYCLE IS NOW ON DISPLAY AT MUSEUM The following article is copied from an article published in the December 2001 American Motorcyclist Magazine.