Harrison County Historical Museum

04/17/2025

The 1901 Museum, Service and Sacrifice and the Research Center will be closed Friday, April 18th and Saturday, April 19th to allow our employees to spend time with their families on the Easter weekend. All spaces will re-open on Tuesday, April 22nd at 10 am.

Happy Easter everyone!

04/14/2025

Lieutenant General George Perry Rains, M.D. was born in Marshall, Texas, on September 18, 1872, the son of Mercer and Nancy Texas (Arnett) Rains. He received his early education at Mrs. Maulding's Private School and at Marvin Chapel.

He later attended the University of Texas, where he received his A.B. degree in 1893 and his M.D. in 1895. After an internship at John Sealy Hospital in Galveston, he studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and received a second M.D. degree in 1897.

He returned to Marshall and served for a time as surgeon at Texas and Pacific Hospital before entering private practice. On April 26, 1899, he married Norma Pitts. On December 31, 1890, Rains enlisted as a private in the Marshall Light Infantry.

He served on the Mexican border in the years before World War I, and in that war he was colonel of the Third Texas Infantry, commanding officer of the Thirty-sixth Military Police, and commanding officer of the Sixty-first Pioneer Infantry. He was commanding officer of Camp Sheridan, Alabama, from February to April 1919. He subsequently was in command of the 144th Infantry Regiment, the Seventy-second Infantry Brigade, and the Thirty-sixth Infantry Division.

On September 1, 1936, he retired from the National Guard with the rank of lieutenant general and was made honorary life president of the Thirty-sixth Division.

Rains served as chairman of the board of Marshall National Bank, vice president of the Memorial Hospital Board, trustee of East Texas Baptist College, and director of the Marshall and Sabine Railroad. He was an honorary member of the Texas Medical Association, a member of the Military Surgeons Association, and a director of Kahn Memorial Hospital and the Harrison County Red Cross.
In 1937 he was president of the Harrison County Medical Society. He was also a member of the Marshall City Commission, the Rotary Club, and the Elks Lodge. He was a Mason and a deacon of the First Baptist Church of Marshall.

George Rains died in Marshall on September 19, 1955, and was buried in the Rains Family plot at Greenwood Cemetery. In 1970 the Texas Historical Commission placed a marker at his grave.

A great many of his service time photos were donated to the Inez Hatley Hughes Historical Research Center in 1967.

04/12/2025

Saturday is the day for Touch A Truck in Downtown Marshall. A few notes: the 1901 Courthouse will be closed for the event, so our exhibit rooms there are not available for viewing. But, our Service & Sacrifice military exhibits at Memorial City Hall on the southeast corner of the square will be open, as well as our North Gallery inside the Marshall Mercantile (the Joe Weisman building) on North Washington. We will also have a booth set up on the square for the Touch a Truck event, so come out with the kids, enjoy the new Spring sunshine and enjoy games, vendors, booths from other local groups and of course explore interesting vehicles on historic Peter Whetstone Square! We hope to see you there!

https://www.facebook.com/marshalltouchatruck/

03/29/2025

Service and Sacrifice will be closed today in honor of one of our staff members. Jeremy lost his beloved grandfather, Terry Ledbetter, on Thursday in a terrible accident. Please remember this family in your prayers.

03/21/2025

This photo from 1915 is of the Marshall Post Office downtown on the square. It is from a collection of photos at the Inez Hatley Hughes Historical Research Center.

On Friday, February 26, 1915, Horace Chilton Blalock became the new postmaster at the post office location on the bottom floor of the Capitol Hotel at 212-214 East Houston Street. He was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson.

Mr. Blalock had previously worked selling mail boxes, as a rural carrier, and later as office clerk overseeing tamp, registry and postal savings bank departments. He took over for Henry O. Wilson who had been postmaster since May 24, 1898.

On Sunday the 28th, Horace and his crew began moving the post office into the new building at 100 East Houston and they were ready Monday morning for their regular operations.

Horace served until 1924. He then became a realtor and was instrumental in the development of the neighborhood around Henley Perry to Merritt Streets, and later helping to organize Marshall Hardware serving as its president until 1947.

03/12/2025

03/07/2025

Join us March 27th for our next Journey Stories!

02/19/2025

Due to weather created staffing issues the 1901 Harrison County Courthouse and Service and Sacrifice will be closed today.
Stay warm and be safe

01/08/2025

All museum sites and offices will be closed through Friday, January 10th due to the possible bad weather and poor driving conditions; many of our staffers live throughout the county and adjoining counties. We hope to reopen exhibits on Saturday. Stay safe and warm!

12/20/2024

On behalf of the Museum, we wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
All sites are now closed through January 2nd as staff celebrates the season with family.

12/20/2024

Wassail Walk 2024 is in the books! We had a blast dressing in period attire while opening the courthouse for tours and wassail tasting. Big thank yous to Director Tina McGuffin and Board member Amy Waters for getting into the Christmas spirit and having fun with me tonight. Wendy

12/12/2024

We had a royal time hearing about and seeing vintage clothing from Marcia Thomas. The Christmas Tea was a special time had by all. Special thank yous to Blue Frog Catering for tea and sweets and the Vintage Vamp Productions and Marcia for the fascinating history of each outfit and bringing them to us to see.

12/05/2024

We still have a few seats available for the Christmas Tea this Saturday. Call 903-935-8417 and leave a message (all of the elves are running around getting the place ready)
If you need info and it's after hours contact Wendy Newman at 903-806-0833. We will find you a chair if you want to see this awesome fashion show!

11/22/2024

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Mason Heldt!

11/22/2024

The Research Center is closed today until 1:30.
Next week - Nov 25-29 - The Museums and Research Center will be closed for the holidays. Enjoy your families and we will see you in December!