Marshall, Minnesota
Marshall is a city in Lyon County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,628 at the 2020 census.[4] Marshall is a regional center in southwest Minnesota, and the county seat of Lyon County.[7] It is the headquarters of the Schwan Food Company and the home of Southwest Minnesota State University.
Not to be confused with Marshall County, Minnesota.History[edit]
Marshall was platted in 1872 when the railroad was extended to that point.[8] Lake Marshall Township had been established in the area two years earlier, and included a post office and several farms. Before that, the site was occasionally used as a campground for groups of Dakota, who hunted and traveled throughout the region. After much discussion, James J. Manton decided on Marshall in honor of Governor William R. Marshall.[9]
The town grew rapidly. In 1873, Samuel Biglari published Marshall's first newspaper, the Prairie Schooner. In the October 25, 1873, issue, he wrote, "Nine months ago the first house was erected. Now there are 79 permanent buildings already constructed, and this number will be increased by others already planned." Marshall became an incorporated village in 1876 and a city on February 20, 1901. In April 1874, the local paper estimated Marshall's population at 300; by 1900 the population was 2,088. Holy Redeemer Catholic Church was built in 1884. The Weiner Memorial Hospital was built in 1950. Also during the 1950s, Marvin Schwan transformed his dairy into an ice-cream home-delivery service, which eventually grew into the Schwan Food Company.[10]
The flooding of the Redwood River had historically been a problem in Marshall. The city experienced a series of floods in the 1940s and 1950s. Diversion canals were constructed between 1961 and 1963, but occasional flooding still occurs, notably in 1993. Another project in 1997 removed 107,000 cubic meters (140,000 cubic yards) of sediment from the diversion channel. The diversion channel and Redwood River underwent major upstream and downstream improvements, completed in December 2000. During the spring and fall of 2010, the Marshall area experienced unseasonably high amounts of moisture, but the Redwood River remained within its banks through town.
Southwest Minnesota State University was founded in 1963 and opened in 1967. Most of the campus was constructed between 1967 and 1973.
Economy[edit]
Schwan's Company, headquartered in Marshall, is one of the country's largest frozen-food companies. It is a $3 billion organization and Minnesota's third-largest privately held corporation, after Cargill and Carlson. With approximately 14,000 employees in the U.S., Schwan has become one of the nation's largest producers of frozen pizza and egg rolls. It is also known for its frozen desserts and ice-cream manufacturing and distribution. Schwan employs about 1,500 people in Marshall.
One of Marshall's streets downtown, Marvin Schwan Memorial Drive, between College Drive (Marshall's main through street) and A Street, is named for the founder of the Schwan Food Company, who died in 1993. Until his death, it was called Depot Street.
A large corn wet-milling facility operated by Archer Daniels Midland Company is in Marshall. It was formerly run by a farmer's cooperative, Minnesota Corn Processors, but merged with ADM in 2002.[17] The plant employs 250 people.
Runnings is a regional retail chain with headquarters in Marshall.
Other major employers in the city are US Bancorp, Affiliated Community Medical Centers (ACMC), Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center, Hy-Vee, Walmart, Runnings, Menards, Southwest Minnesota State University, Turkey Valley Farms, and Marshall Public Schools.[18]
Government[edit]
Marshall has a mayor and city council that meet twice monthly. The city is divided into three wards, with two council members for each ward. The mayor and council members are elected to four-year terms. The elected officials govern in coordination with a city administrator and city attorney. The major divisions of city hall are City Administration, Community Services, Economic Development, General Services, Public Safety, and Public Works.
Education[edit]
Public schools in district 413 include Marshall High School, Marshall Middle School, Parkside Elementary, and West Side Elementary. An additional service for grades 7–12 is Marshall East Campus Learning Alternatives. The athletic teams in Marshall are called the Tigers. Private schools include Holy Redeemer, True Light Christian, and Samuel Lutheran School.
The Marshall-Lyon County Library is part of the Plum Creek Library System and contains 75,803 books, 3,142 audio materials, 2,302 video materials, and 205 periodical subscriptions.
Southwest Minnesota State University is a public, four-year liberal arts and professional studies institution. It has an enrollment of approximately 3,500 full-time students.