Marshall in Harrison County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Harrison County
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 24, 2014
1. Harrison County Marker
The original inhabitants of this area were the Caddo Indians. Anglo settlers, mostly from the southern U.S., began arriving in the 1830’s. Many obtained Mexican land grants in 1835, and population increased following Texas Independence in 1836. The Republic of Texas Congress created Harrison County in 1839 and named it for Texas Revolutionary leader Jonas Harrison (1777–1836). Marshall became the county seat in 1842.
Harrison County was predominantly rural and agricultural, with cotton as the main crop. By 1850, it was the most populous, as well as one of the richest, counties in antebellum Texas. A strong heritage of slavery prior to the Civil War and the influx of many former slaves after the war resulted in a large Black population, as well.
The Southern Pacific Railroad, which built a line into Marshall before the Civil War, became part of the Texas and Pacific Railway system in the 1870’s, connecting Harrison County with communities to the east, west, and north. The railroad located it main shops and offices in Marshall, which soon became a major transportation center. The economic base of the county diversified by the 1940’s and was no longer primarily agricultural.
Erected 1991 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 10176.)
Topics. This historical
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Location. 32° 32.709′ N, 94° 22.06′ W. Marker is in Marshall, Texas, in Harrison County. Marker is at the intersection of West Houston Street and North Wellington Street, on the left when traveling west on West Houston Street. Marker is located on the west side of the Harrison County Historical Museum (former Harrison County Courthouse). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 West Houston Street, 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. Marshall (here, next to this marker); James Harper Starr (a few steps from this marker); General Elkanah Greer / Knights of the Golden Circle (a few steps from this marker); Governor Edward Clark (a few steps from this marker); Telegraph Park (within shouting distance of this marker); C.G. Lancaster (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Hub Shoe Store (about 400 feet away); The Library Movement in Marshall (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Marshall.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 24, 2014
2. Harrison County Marker (wide view; former Harrison County Courthouse in background)
Also see . . .
1. Harrison County. Handbook of Texas website entry:
Caddo Indians lived in the East Texas timberlands for centuries before the arrival of Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century. Agriculturalists with a highly developed culture, the Caddoes were no match for European weapons and diseases. Consequently, American settlers, who began to arrive in large numbers during the 1830s, had few Indian problems in the area that became Harrison County. The settlement of the area was well under way by the time of the Texas Revolution in 1836. A dozen Americans received land grants there from Mexican authorities in the fall of 1835. (Submitted on December 2, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Harrison County, Texas. Wikipedia entry:
The area was settled predominately by planters from the Southern United States, who developed this area for cotton plantations and brought African-American slaves with them for labor, or purchased them in the area. The planters repeated much of their culture and society here. By 1850, landowners in this county held more slaves than in any other county in Texas until the end of the Civil War. The census of 1860 counted 8,746 slaves in Harrison County, 59% of the county's total population. (Submitted on December 2, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 24, 2014
3. Former Harrison County Courthouse (west side; as seen from marker)
Credits. This page was last revised on March 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 1, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 427 times since then and 47 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 1, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
