Marshall, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Marshall is a city located in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. It is part of the Battle Creek
, Michigan
Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census
, the city population was 7,459. It is the county seat
of Calhoun County
. The town operates a student exchange program with its sister city, Koka Cho, Japan
.
Marshall is best known for its cross-section of 19th- and early 20th-Century architecture. It has been referred to by the keeper of the National Register of Historic Places
as a "virtual textbook of 19th-Century American architecture." It is home to one of the nation's largest National Historic Landmark Districts. There are over 850 buildings included in the Landmark.
John Marshall
from Virginia—whom they greatly admired. This occurred five years before Marshall's death and thus was the first of dozens of communities and counties named for him.
Two Marshall citizens, Rev. John D. Pierce and lawyer Isaac E. Crary, innovated the Michigan school system and established it as part of the state constitution. Their method and format were later adopted by all the states in the old Northwest Territory and became the foundation for the U.S. Land Grant Act in 1861 which established schools like Michigan State University all over the country. Pierce became the country's first state superintendent of public instruction and Crary Michigan's first member of the U.S. House.
The first railroad labor union in the U.S.,The Brotherhood of the Footboard (later renamed the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers), was formed in Marshall, Michigan, back in 1863.
, the city has a total area of 6.1 square miles (15.8 km²), of which, 5.9 square miles (15.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (2.96%) is water.
of 2000, there were 7,459 people, 3,111 households, and 1,935 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,260.7 per square mile (486.5/km²). There were 3,353 housing units at an average density of 566.7 per square mile (218.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.91% White, 0.32% African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.99% from other races
, and 1.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.16% of the population.
There were 3,111 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples
living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 86.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,171, and the median income for a family was $53,317. Males had a median income of $41,446 versus $30,398 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $22,101. About 2.6% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.
In 2009, the population was 7,103 (http://www.city-data.com/city/Marshall-Michigan.html).
, Kentucky
because Crosswhite learned that his four children were to be sold. The Crosswhites made the tough journey north and finally settled in Marshall. In response, Giltner organized a group of men led by his son David Giltner to capture what they believed to be their true property.
On the morning of January 2, 1847, the slave catchers and a local deputy sheriff were pounding on Adam's door. His neighbors heard the noise and came running. The cry of "slave catchers!" was yelled through the streets of Marshall. Soon over 100 people surrounded the Crosswhite home.
Threats were shouted back and forth. One of the slave catchers began to demand that people in the crowd give him their names. They were proud to tell him and even told him the correct spelling. Each name was written down in a little book. Finally, the deputy sheriff, swayed by the crowd's opinion, decided he should arrest the men from Kentucky
instead. By the time the slave catchers would post bond and get out of jail, the Crosswhites were on their way to Canada.
Next the Giltners went to the federal court in Detroit. They sued the crowd from Marshall for damages. Since they had many of their names it was easy to decide whom to sue. Many of the people in the crowd were fined, which they paid gladly and considered a badge of honor.
Because of the Crosswhite case and others like it, Senator Clay from Kentucky pushed a new law through Congress in 1850 known as the Fugitive Slave Law, which made it very risky for anyone to help an escaped slave.
There are many recognized Michigan historical markers in Marshall, including
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It is part of the Battle Creek
Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, the city population was 7,459. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Calhoun County
Calhoun County, Michigan
-Interstates:* I-69* I-94* I-194* I-94 Business Loop serves the city of Albion.* I-94 Business Loop serves the city of Battle Creek.* I-94 Business Loop serves the city of Marshall.-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-37* M-60* M-66* M-78* M-89* M-96* M-99...
. The town operates a student exchange program with its sister city, Koka Cho, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Marshall is best known for its cross-section of 19th- and early 20th-Century architecture. It has been referred to by the keeper of the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as a "virtual textbook of 19th-Century American architecture." It is home to one of the nation's largest National Historic Landmark Districts. There are over 850 buildings included in the Landmark.
History
Established in 1830, Town founders Sidney and George Ketchum named the community in honor of Chief Justice of the United StatesChief Justice of the United States
The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
John Marshall
John Marshall
John Marshall was the Chief Justice of the United States whose court opinions helped lay the basis for American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches...
from Virginia—whom they greatly admired. This occurred five years before Marshall's death and thus was the first of dozens of communities and counties named for him.
Two Marshall citizens, Rev. John D. Pierce and lawyer Isaac E. Crary, innovated the Michigan school system and established it as part of the state constitution. Their method and format were later adopted by all the states in the old Northwest Territory and became the foundation for the U.S. Land Grant Act in 1861 which established schools like Michigan State University all over the country. Pierce became the country's first state superintendent of public instruction and Crary Michigan's first member of the U.S. House.
The first railroad labor union in the U.S.,The Brotherhood of the Footboard (later renamed the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers), was formed in Marshall, Michigan, back in 1863.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 6.1 square miles (15.8 km²), of which, 5.9 square miles (15.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (2.96%) is water.
Interstates
I-69Interstate 69Interstate 69 is an Interstate Highway in the United States. It exists in two parts: a completed highway from Indianapolis, Indiana, northeast to the Canadian border in Port Huron, Michigan, and a mostly proposed extension southwest to the Mexican border in Texas...
, a north-south route connecting with Fort Wayne, IndianaFort Wayne, IndianaFort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
to the south and LansingLansing, MichiganLansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
to the north.
I-94Interstate 94Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
, an east-west route connecting with Battle CreekBattle Creek, MichiganBattle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...
and KalamazooKalamazoo, MichiganThe area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
on the west and JacksonJackson, MichiganJackson is a city located along Interstate 94 in the south central area of the U.S. state of Michigan, about west of Ann Arbor and south of Lansing. It is the county seat of Jackson County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534...
and DetroitDetroit, MichiganDetroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
on the east.
I-94 Business Loop runs through downtown.
Michigan State Trunklines
M-96M-96 (Michigan highway)M-96 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs between Kalamazoo and Marshall. Its termini are both on business loops of Interstate 94 ; the eastern one coincides with an intersection with I-69...
runs westerly from Marshall through Battle Creek and on to Kalamazoo.
M-227M-227 (Michigan highway)M-227 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the U.S. state of Michigan. It consists largely of a segment of old U.S. Highway 27 along the south and west sides of Marshall. The highway passes the airport and serves an industrial section of town north of the Kalamazoo River...
has as its northern terminus BL I-94/Michigan AvenueMichigan AvenueMichigan Avenue may refer to:* Michigan Avenue * Michigan Avenue , a designation for much of both current and former U.S. Route 12 in Michigan...
on the west side of Marshall, near I-69.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 7,459 people, 3,111 households, and 1,935 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,260.7 per square mile (486.5/km²). There were 3,353 housing units at an average density of 566.7 per square mile (218.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.91% White, 0.32% African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.99% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.16% of the population.
There were 3,111 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 86.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,171, and the median income for a family was $53,317. Males had a median income of $41,446 versus $30,398 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $22,101. About 2.6% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.
In 2009, the population was 7,103 (http://www.city-data.com/city/Marshall-Michigan.html).
Stand against slavery
In 1843, Adam Crosswhite and his family ran away from Francis Giltner's plantation near CarrolltonCarrollton, Kentucky
Carrollton is a town in Carroll County, Kentucky, at the confluence of the Ohio River and the Kentucky River. Its population was 3,846 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carroll County....
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
because Crosswhite learned that his four children were to be sold. The Crosswhites made the tough journey north and finally settled in Marshall. In response, Giltner organized a group of men led by his son David Giltner to capture what they believed to be their true property.
On the morning of January 2, 1847, the slave catchers and a local deputy sheriff were pounding on Adam's door. His neighbors heard the noise and came running. The cry of "slave catchers!" was yelled through the streets of Marshall. Soon over 100 people surrounded the Crosswhite home.
Threats were shouted back and forth. One of the slave catchers began to demand that people in the crowd give him their names. They were proud to tell him and even told him the correct spelling. Each name was written down in a little book. Finally, the deputy sheriff, swayed by the crowd's opinion, decided he should arrest the men from Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
instead. By the time the slave catchers would post bond and get out of jail, the Crosswhites were on their way to Canada.
Next the Giltners went to the federal court in Detroit. They sued the crowd from Marshall for damages. Since they had many of their names it was easy to decide whom to sue. Many of the people in the crowd were fined, which they paid gladly and considered a badge of honor.
Because of the Crosswhite case and others like it, Senator Clay from Kentucky pushed a new law through Congress in 1850 known as the Fugitive Slave Law, which made it very risky for anyone to help an escaped slave.
Festivals
- The weekend after Labor Day Festival,Historic Marshall's Home Tour, is the oldest historic home tour in the Great Lakes area, with eight private homes, a church, a business, and four to six museums open for the two days of the tour. There are also roving musicians, demonstrating craftspeople, a juried craft show, antiques for sale, and a Civil War Ball with elaborate costumes on Saturday night.
- Cruise to the Fountain features about 1,000 classic cars from the 1950s and 1960s the weekend before the Fourth of July at the Calhoun County Fairgrounds. On Friday and Saturday nights the cars cruise from the Fairgrounds through the downtown, around the Brooks Memorial Fountain and back.
- Bluesfest is the third Saturday in July, with blues musicians from all over the Midwest performing throughout the downtown all day. The headliner in 2005 and 2006 was James Armstrong.
- The Monday after Thanksgiving is the date of the annual Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade. There are typically over 100 entries for this parade. It averages 6–10 bands and 20-40 floats. Santa's arrival to Marshall is always the highlight of this event.
- Marshall's Christmas Candlelight Walk features five private homes on tour in a small group setting. Limited tickets sold for Saturday early, Saturday late, Sunday early and Sunday late.
- Marshall is home to an authentic, Louisiana-style Annual Crawfish Boil on the first or second Saturday in June and Chicken Wing Thing has 13 different styles of wings and bands on the weekend before Labor Day Weekend at the Dark Horse BreweryDark Horse BreweryThe Dark Horse Brewery is a microbrewery and tap room in Marshall, Michigan. The Dark Horse brews a variety of beers and beer styles, including the Crooked Tree India Pale Ale, Amber Ale, Raspberry Ale, Sapient Trip Ale, Boffo Brown Beer, and Black Bier. Several seasonal and experimental brews...
. - Marshall also has a Kustom Auto and Motorcycle Show put on by the SpeedShifterS wheelclub on the east side of BFI landfill and just north of Convis twp. hall (west of exit 42 I-69) in Turkeyville on the weekend after Labor Day.
- On the second weekend in June and first weekend in October, the Fiber Arts & Animals Festival is held. This festival has been held since 2005.
Notable residents
- John BellairsJohn BellairsJohn Anthony Bellairs was an American author, best known for his well-respected fantasy novel The Face in the Frost as well as many gothic mystery novels for young adults featuring Lewis Barnavelt, Anthony Monday, and Johnny Dixon.-Biography:After earning degrees at University of Notre Dame and...
, author - Ryan A. ConklinRyan A. ConklinRyan Allen Conklin is a former Sergeant in the United States Army, known as a cast member on the MTV reality television series, The Real World: Brooklyn, which aired in 2008, and The Real World Presents: Return to Duty, a 2009 documentary that chronicled his second tour of duty serving as part of...
, author and castmember of Real World: Brooklyn & Return To Duty. - Jamie HynemanJamie HynemanJames Franklin "Jamie" Hyneman is an American special effects expert, best known for being the co-host of the television series MythBusters. He is also the owner of M5 Industries, the special effects workshop where MythBusters is filmed...
, co-host of the TV series MythbustersMythBustersMythBusters is a science entertainment TV program created and produced by Beyond Television Productions for the Discovery Channel. The series is screened by numerous international broadcasters, including Discovery Channel Australia, Discovery Channel Latin America, Discovery Channel Canada, Quest... - Sharon MillerSharon MillerSharon Kay Miller is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Miller was born in Marshall, Michigan. She attended Western Michigan University where she letterd in five sports; golf, tennis, field hockey, basketball, and volleyball. She was inducted into the WMU Hall of Fame in...
, golfer. Winner of two LPGA Tour tournaments.
Museums and Historical markers
- The second largest U.S. Postal Service museumPostal MuseumThere are museums for postal organisations and the worldwide postal system:-Egypt:*, Cairo-United States of America:*Smithsonian National Postal Museum*, Marshall, Michigan-- second largest postal museum in U.S.*, originally at 127 N Main St, Delphos, Ohio...
is in Marshall. It's 4,000 artifacts—including uniforms, rural carrier memorabilia, rural post office equipment, automobiles and sleds—is eclipsed only by the collection of the Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian InstitutionThe Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
Smithsonian National Postal MuseumNational Postal MuseumThe National Postal Museum, located opposite Union Station in Washington, D.C., USA, was established through joint agreement between the United States Postal Service and the Smithsonian Institution and opened in 1993. The museum is located across the street from Union Station, in the building that...
in Washington D.C. It was established in 1986, and is in the basement of the historical Schragg Marshall post office (named after Michael Schragg, a former postmasterPostmasterA postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
). Suggested donation is $5, and visits are by appointment only. Call 269-420-7030 or 269-979-2719. See U.S. Postal Museums.
There are many recognized Michigan historical markers in Marshall, including
- American Museum of MagicAmerican Museum of MagicThe American Museum of Magic in Marshall, Michigan, houses a large collection of magical paraphernalia and illusions, including an extensive collection of devices that once belonged to famed magician Harry Blackstone, Sr., .-Museum collection:...
- Butler-Boyce House / W. D. Boyce
- Calhoun County FairCalhoun County FairThe Calhoun County Fair in Marshall, Michigan is Michigan's oldest continuous running fair.It will be celebrating it's 163rd annual run as of August 14, 2011.-History:...
- Capitol Hill School
- Charles T. Gorham
- First Baptist Church [Marshall]
- Governor's Mansion
- Grand Army of the RepublicGrand Army of the RepublicThe Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
/ The G. A. R. Hall - Harold C. Brooks / Fitch Gorham Brooks House
- Hillside / Mary Miller
- Honolulu House
- Isaac Crary and John Pierce / State School System
- Isaac E. Crary House
- James A. Miner
- Jerimiah Cronin. Jr. House / John Bellairs
- John D. Pierce Homesite
- Ketchum Park
- Lieutenant George A. Woodruff
- Lockwood House / Lockwood Family
- Marshall
- National House
- The Old Stone Barn
- Oliver C. Comstock Jr.
- Pioneer School
- Postmasters / Howard F Young
- Railroad Union Birthplace
- Sam Hill House
- Samuel Coleman House
- Schellenberger Tavern
- Schuler's
- Sidney Ketchum / Marshall House
- Thomas J. O'BrienThomas J. O'BrienThomas Joseph O'Brien of Chicago was a U.S. Representative from Illinois, 1933–39, 1943-64. He was a Democrat.The T.J. O’Brien Lock and Dam approximately 7 miles from Lake Michigan on the Calumet River in Chicago at the head of the Illinois Waterway is named after Congressman O’Brien....
- Trinity Episcopal Church / Montgomery Schuyler
- William W. Cook
External links
- City of Marshall
- Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce
- Marshall Home Page
- Michigan Historical Markers including text and photographs
- National Register of Historic Places
- National Register of Historic Places.com - unofficial website
- Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Calhoun County