Home to the Oldest Inn in Michigan

It has been called one of the most beautiful cities in Michigan. As a National Historic Landmark District it has been described by one National Park Service manager as "a textbook of 19th century American small town architecture".

Established in 1830, the early settlers expected the community to become Michigan's state capital. Thus, it drew dozens of doctors, lawyers, ministers, business people and land speculators. Town founders Sidney and George Ketchum named the community for Chief Justice John Marshall of Virginia whom they greatly admired.

Marshall was nominated as the state capital in 1839 but lost to Lansing, then a village of eight registered voters, in 1847. However, at this point Marshall had become the switching center for the young Michigan Central Railroad which kept it booming and growing during the Civil War era.

In 1872 the rail yards were moved to Jackson and Marshall seemed to slumber. However, in Marshall barns, lofts and business blocks a new industry was growing. Marshall was becoming the Midwest's patent medicine center and the place to get "pink pills for pale people." Then the Pure Food and Drug Act came along in 1906 and effectively killed off most of the patent medicine production. The town continued to slumber and only two streets were platted from 1872 to 1920.

Moving into the 20th century, Marshall has been the home of many people who understood the importance of preservation and restoration long before it was popular. Dedication to preservering history has enabled Marshall to move into the future while maintaining its wonderful past.