History

During the Civil War, Marshall was garrisoned by Union Troops. Although Marshall was strategically unimportant, the town was the victim of two Confederate raids and the site of the October 13, 1863 Battle of Marshall, the climax of Colonel J. O. Shelby’s 1863 “Great Raid”. Confronted by a larger force of 1,800 Federal troops and Missouri State Militia, Shelby broke through, divided his command and withdrew from Missouri.

Missouri Valley College was founded in Marshall in 1889. The college’s original building, Baity Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Victorian Era building is notable for its beautiful wooden staircase, vaulted wooden ceilings, and stained glass windows. Missouri Valley College is a private, four-year liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). The 150-acre campus is found within the city limits of Marshall. The college supports 27 academic majors and an enrollment close to 1,800 students. Missouri Valley College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

In 1921, the Nicholas-Beazley Airplane Company was founded by Russell B. Nicholas and Howard Beazley. At its peak, the company produced as many as one aircraft per day. Nicholas-Beazley Airplane Company also operated the Marshall Flying School. In January of 1928, the Marshall Flying School became the largest civilian air school in the world, at that time. In 1937, production of aircraft ceased, due to economic pressures from the Great Depression. Today, the Nicholas Beazley Aviation Museum is located at the Marshall Airport, with artifacts of interest from aviation history. ConAgra Foods owns the property of the old Nicholas-Beazley Airplane Company factory building, located right off the Marshall square; the factory building was torn down in the summer of 2015 to expand the ConAgra plant.

On April 3rd, 1933, on the recommendation of Mayor Joe F. Swisher the Marshall City Council approved the purchase of 110 acres from Ralph H. and Juanita Beth Duggins for $5,000. The purchase of this land was not looked upon with much favor among the citizens of Marshall, as this land was commonly referred to as “goat hill”. Over the years an additional 215.4 acres have been purchased to make a total of 325.4 acres within the park system. From the time of the purchase of the Park until September 3rd, 1934, the Park was known merely as the City Park. September 3rd, 1934, the City Council with the approval of the Park Board named this area Indian Foothills Park. The name seems quite appropriate in as much as some think the hills might be Indian mounds.

In 1963, Tom Butterfield opened the Butterfield Boys Ranch, a home for abused and neglected youth. In 1981, Hollywood came to Marshall and a full length movie ‘The Child Nobody Wanted’ was made about the early struggles of Tom Butterfield and his boys. It was shown nationally on CBS-TV in December of that year. Many local people had parts in the movie.