Welcome to Historic Marshall
Visit Marshall for the best in history.
Marshall, with its National Historic Landmark District status, is home to over 800 historically significant homes and buildings. The National Park Service calls Marshall “the best virtual textbook of 19th Century American architecture in the country.”
Settled in 1831 by Sidney Ketchum, a land speculator from New York, Marshall was chosen for its location on the Kalamazoo River and its proximity between Detroit and Chicago. The city grew over the next decade with migrants from the northeastern United States who brought popular architectural styles and town planning from that region. Greek Revival, Gothic Revival and Italianate structures can be found throughout town.
Famous Marshall buildings include the Honolulu House, built in 1860 by Abner Pratt, a former Michigan Supreme Court chief justice, after serving as U.S. Consul to the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands. With its Gothic Revival, Italianate and Polynesian influences, the House, which is now a museum and headquarters for the Marshall Historical Society, is a stunning feature in the city. Built in 1835, The National House Inn is Michigan’s oldest operating inn and the oldest brick building in Calhoun County.
Other significant buildings include Wagner’s Block and Cronin Buildings in downtown Marshall.
Marshall’s eight museums include The Governor’s Mansion, a Greek Revival home built in 1839 with the hopes of Marshall becoming Michigan’s first capitol city. Built by James Wright Gordon, the residence never housed a governor, but Gordon did go on to become lieutenant governor and then acting governor of Michigan. The U.S. Postal Service Museum, housed in the lower level of the post office, is the second-largest collection in the country, next only to the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum. The museum includes thousands of items spanning the entire history of U.S. mail delivery.
Forty-five historic markers are found in Marshall, commemorating the Adam Crosswhite Slave Recovery Case; the Railroad Union Birthplace; John D. Pierce, Michigan’s first state school superintendent; Isaac E. Crary, Michigan’s first congressman; John Bellairs, children’s book author; and many others.
History buffs will find so much to see and do in Marshall! Visit choosemarshall.com or call 269-781-5163 to plan your trip. Be sure to stop by the Welcome Center for a map of Self-Guided Walks and much more information.
