Harrison County (1991)

The original inhabitants of this area were the Caddo Indians. Anglo settlers, mostly from the southern U. S., began arriving in the 1830s. Many obtained Mexican land grants in 1835, and population increased following Texas independence in 1836. The Republic of Texas Congress created Harrison County in 1839 and named it for Texas revolutionary leader Jonas Harrison (1777-1836). Marshall became the county seat in 1842. Harrison County was predominantly rural and agricultural, with cotton as the main crop. By 1850, it was the most populous, as well as one of the richest counties in antebellum Texas. A strong heritage of slavery prior to the Civil War and the influx of many former slaves after the war resulted in a large black population, as well. The Southern Pacific Railroad, which built a line into Marshall before the Civil War, became part of the Texas and Pacific Railway system in the 1870s, connecting Harrison County with communities to the east, west, and north. The railroad located its main shops and offices in Marshall, which soon became a major transportation center. The economic base of the county diversified by the 1940s and was no longer primarily agricultural.

Harrison County is a historical marker in Marshall, Harrison County, dedicated in 1991. It is one of 102 historical markers documented in Harrison County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 257 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 32.5450, -94.3672 near Marshall. The nearest cataloged historic site is Whetstone Memorial (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Marshall, Harrison County Courthouse (1900), and Harrison County Courthouse.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5203010176. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.