Marshall

East Texas Baptist University

Marshall, city, seat (1842) of Harrison county, northeastern Texas, U.S. The city lies 34 miles (55 km) west of Shreveport, Louisiana, and is part of a metropolitan and industrial area centred on Longview. Founded in 1841 by Isaac Van Zandt, it was named for U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall. It served as the temporary Confederate capital of Missouri during the American Civil War when Governor C.F. Jackson, unable to induce Missouri to secede from the Union, moved the official seal and state records to Marshall. The Harrison County Historical Museum preserves documents and artifacts from this period.

Situated on the Texas and Pacific Railway, the city has repair shops and serves as the centre of a farming and logging area with considerable oil production. Its manufactures include petrochemicals, plastics, and carbon. Marshall is the seat of East Texas Baptist University (1912) and Wiley College (1873). Caddo Lake State Park is a nearby refuge for water-sport and fishing enthusiasts. Starr Family State Historical Park preserves a 19th-century mansion built by an influential citizen of Marshall. Inc. town, 1843; city, 1848. Pop. (2000) 23,935; (2010) 23,523.