Marshall in Harrison County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Texas & Pacific Depot
Marshall’s first railroad was conceived as a connection to Red River Steamboat Traffic. Twenty miles of track were laid northeast to Swanson’s Landing on Caddo Lake by 1858.
In 1871, the U.S. Congress authorized the Texas and Pacific Railway Company to build a transcontinental railroad, which would run along the 32nd parallel from Marshall to the West Coast. Two years later, the T&P moved its maintenance shops to Marshall.
A new passenger depot was built here at the junction of the Texarkana and Louisiana lines in 1911-1912, where it was positioned to serve both routes, to complement the nearby Ginocchio Hotel and large Texas & Pacific shop complex, and visually to terminate Washington Street from the courthouse.
The railroad’s architect was influenced by the popular Prairie School style of architecture and combined abstracted renaissance and Mediterranean details on the brick and concrete structure. Prominent features include a tile roof and wood and plaster accents. A pedestrian tunnel was added for safety in 1940.
The Texas & Pacific Depot remains an important symbol of Marshall’s relationship to the railroad, once its major employer and transportation source.
Erected 1985 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 10219.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Man-Made Features • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1858.
Location. 32° 33.091′ N, 94° 22.042′ W. Marker is in Marshall, Texas, in Harrison County. Marker is on North Washington Avenue, 0.1 miles north of Ginocchio Street. Marker is in front of the Marshall Depot (formerly Texas & Pacific Depot) entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 800 N Washington Ave, Marshall TX 75670, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Ginocchio Hotel and Restaurant (a few steps from this marker); Marshall (a few steps from this marker); Ginocchio-Cook-Pedison House (within shouting distance of this marker); The Allen House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Walter Paye Lane (approx. 0.2 miles away); Marshall, C.S.A. (approx. 0.2 miles away); Governor Edward Clark (approx. 0.2 miles away); John T. Mills (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Marshall.
Also see . . .
1. Marshall: Texas and Pacific Railroad Museum/Depot. Great American Stations website entry:
All that remains of the once-vast T&P Railway yards is the historic 1912 depot; however, this prominent red-brick building aptly represents the extensive operations that had a significant cultural and developmental impact on Marshall. The building welcomed soldiers in both World War I and World War II, and at its height housed telegraph and immigration offices. (Submitted on December 2, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Mashall Station, Texas.
The Texas & Pacific Railway Depot, commonly referred to as the T&P Depot, is the only surviving structure of the Texas and Pacific Railway shops complex which originally consisted of fifty-seven buildings spanning 66 acres. During the 1970s a series of events led to the station being abandoned. Amtrak passenger trains used the building beginning in 1974, however in 1988 the Union Pacific Railroad, which owned the property, filed for a permit to demolish the building. The community intervened and throughout the 1990s worked to save the Depot and the building was restored and resumed service as the local train station; additionally, much of the building houses the Texas & Pacific Railway Museum. (Submitted on December 2, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
3. Texas and Pacific Railway Company.
Was the only railroad in Texas, and one of the few in the United States, to operate under a federal charter. Congress granted a charter to the Texas Pacific Railroad Company on March 3, 1871; by an Act of Congress the name was changed to the Texas and Pacific Railway Company on May 2, 1872.
In 1931 the Texas and Pacific owned 365 locomotives, 236 passenger cars, and 9,816 freight cars, and earned $24,000,000 in freight revenue, $3,282,000 in passenger revenue, and other revenue of $2,721,000. The discovery of oil along the Texas and Pacific line in West Texas during the late 1920s and later in East Texas had a major impact on the company. In 1928 crude oil accounted for 22 percent of all freight tonnage. (Submitted on December 2, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 29, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 1, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 405 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 1, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 7, 8, 9. submitted on December 10, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 10, 11. submitted on December 15, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 12. submitted on December 18, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 13. submitted on December 15, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.