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The Hotel Marshall is the tallest building (not the tallest structure) in Marshall, Texas. The building was constructed c. 1929 and is noted for its art-deco elements. In actuality the building draws from several styles that were popular at the time. The hotel was originally called “The Marshall” and was one of three (The Kaufman in Kaufman and The Gibraltar in Paris) of the Pethybridge Hotel Co . ventures in East Texas.

History

On March 8, 1929 the property that Hotel Marshall now stands on was sold for $30,461.30 to S.B. (Sam) Perkins. Construction of the building was pushed to be completed by the annual Regional Rotary Club convention. Bobby Manziel, a Tyler, Texas oil man, bought the Hotel Marshall on July 28, 1956. He renamed the hotel after himself and unexpectedly died a year later. Mrs. Manziel sold the hotel to Earl Hollandsworth for $225,000 in 1957.

Hollandsworth planned a major renovation for the hotel in the 1950s. He put up $125,000 to help finance it. The Chamber of Commerce raised $100,000 and local citizens gave another $100,000. The local businessmen made a deal with Hollandsworth to loan $250,000 to finance the remodeling. The building between the Hotel Marshall and the Capitol Hotel was torn down. A swimming pool and patio were put in its place.

Hotel Marshall as a City Hub

The hotel was one of the major attractions in East Texas in the mid 20th century; complete with an elaborate red carpet, bellhop s, valets and a shoeshine stand in the basement. The building was the center of the city's social scene during the late 1940’s. The Rotarians, KiwanisFraternal and Service Organizations Kiwanis International is a service organization whose mission is "Serving the Children of the World". The organization was founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan and is now based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Its original pur, and Lions Club met there every week with the day of the meeting on a rotating schedule. Many of the African AmericanAfrican Americans also known as Afro- Americans or black Americans comprise an ethnic group in the United States of America whose dominant ancestry is from Sub-Saharan West Africa. Many African Americans also claim European, Native American, or Asian ance performers who entertained them were forced to ride the freight elevator rather than the main elevator to the Roof Garden. The patio was the site of many fashion show s. The Marshall Club , is, perhaps, the greatest example of this period of the building’s history. The Marshall Club was a private social club for some of Marshall’s most affluent families. The members of the club had a special part of the hotel designated for them: the MezzanineA mezzanine is an intermediate floor between main floors of a building; it is often low-ceilinged, and often projects in the form of a balcony. The term is also used for the lowest balcony in a theater, or for the first few rows of seats in that balcony.. A Christmas party was held every year as well as two to three other parties through out the year. The most common activity, bingoThis article is about the game known as bingo. Bingo province was an old province of Japan. Bingo is a game of chance for two or more players. Each player is given a card marked with a grid containing a unique combination of numbers and, in some countries, was played every week. The members financed the club themselves, allowing it to be extremely elegant.

While the 1958Events January January 1 Treaty of Rome founding the EU is implemented January 4 Sputnik 1 falls to Earth from its orbit (launched on October 4 1957) January 8 14 year old Bobby Fischer wins the United States Chess Championship January 18 Armed Lumbee Nat remodeling elevated some of Hotel Marshall's luster it also created problems. In earlier times the hotel had two stoves, one for the Roof Garden and one reserved for room service. Hollandsworth removed one of them and replaced it with a hot plate in the newly created coffee shop. This increased pressure on the kitchen to get food out fast to both guests and shop customers. Two elevators would have been perfectly adequate if one had not been used as a freight elevator. On nights when there were events hosted in the hotel, the lobbyA lobby can be: An entryway or waiting area, such as a foyer, from the latin word lobium, or vestibule. A generic term for groups involved in lobbying such as the " petroleum lobby" or " environmental lobby", or as a verb such as "trying to lobby Parliame could get very congested.

Another problem was that the remodeling placed the thermostatA thermostat is a device for maintaining the temperature of a system within a range by controlling the flow of heat energy into or out of the system. Mechanical Bi-metal On a steam or hot- water radiator system, the thermostat may be entirely mechanical.s in the halls instead of the rooms. With the opening of motels in Marshall, Hotel Marshall’s dominance began to buckle. Businessmen began to complain about no return on their investments in the hotel. Management was changed almost monthly, hampering the clockwork precision a hotel should have. The social center began to drift away as the rich and middle class families abandoned the city center for suburbs such as Jasper Heights and Bel Air. The coffee shop's hours were reduced and the Roof Garden was closed. Businessmen began to suggest motels over the Hotel Marshall, due to the chaotic conditions of its management. This final blow forced the hotel to close its doors.

Years After Closing

East Texas Baptist University purchased the hotel in 1973. It was to

be used as a dormitory for boys, until the completion of a new dormitory. With the new dormitory completed the Hotel Marshall was once again abandoned. Various restoration projects came and went in the 1980s and 1990s; none of which were complete. By 2000 the letters of the Hotel Marshall sign were deteriorating and toppling down onto the roof. The north face's seventh floor balcony and second floor balcony’s light posts had been removed, the windows were busted out, and the Roof Garden had been striped of its mural. Jerry Cargill purchased the building and has begun renovating the hotel with help from local investors and aid from the city commission.

Harrison County, Texas Marshall, Texas

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