A central Missouri city with a smalltown feel
Halfway between Kansas City and Columbia, the small city of Marshall is the center of life in Saline County. “Most people come here to work at Missouri Valley College here in town, and we also draw a lot of people working for industries like the local hospital,” says Jacob Phillips, a Marshall local and the owner/operator of Swinger Realtors. In addition to serving as the county seat, Marshall is home to a historic downtown, a full-size symphony orchestra and even a museum dedicated to a remarkably intelligent local dog. This unique Missouri Valley community is home to nearly 14,000 people who primarily work in retail and light manufacturing. With unique smalltown traditions, an inward-facing economy and a variety of dining and outdoor activities, Marshall offers a quintessentially “heartland” style of living.
Vintage aesthetics define this historic city
As the seat of Saline County since 1839, Marshall has given pioneers, jobseekers and recent homebuyers plenty of reasons to move in over the years. Much of Marshall’s present housing stock originates from the first three decades of the 20th century, when the city was home to an aircraft manufacturing company and a local agribusiness sector. A handful of 1870s-built residences continue to receive new residents. The city also experienced a spurt of growth in the two decades following World War II; a scattering of properties built in the 1980s add variety to Marshall’s vintage aesthetics. Marshall’s median home price of $150,000 is significantly below the Kansas City median of $285,000 and the Columbia median of $325,000, impacted in part by Marshall’s semi-remote location and older housing stock. While the city’s downtown area is strongly late-19th-century in character, its grid-patterned residential streets feature spacious lawns, single-story properties from the early 20th century and limited sidewalk access.
False-front storefronts host local restaurants and boutique shops
Downtown Marshall relates the city’s rich history through its false-front stores, its 1882-built courthouse, its 1889-built college and its old-school barbecue restaurants and bistros. The Marshall Cinema still shows movies from the 1926-built Auditorium Theatre. Main roads like Arrow Street are home to diverse eateries ranging from Chinese takeout spots to Mexican taquerias and a sushi bar. Sporting goods shops, auto repair shops and medical practices share Marshall’s old-school storefronts, reflecting the city’s localized economy. Grocery options include Aldi and Walmart, both of which are located along Highway 65 at Marshall’s western frontier.
Outdoor activities surround the city
Marshall is surrounded by opportunities for outdoor recreation. Along the city’s eastern edge, Peyton Park offers a small green space where kids can make use of a small playground and families can picnic at nearby tables. Indian Foothills Park, created from 110 acres of purchased land in 1933, offers baseball and softball fields and a public swimming pool to the public. Dog owners can take their pets to the lakeside Marshall Dog Park, which doubles as a local fishing venue.
A wondrous dog and orchestra make this city stand out
Marshall’s most celebrated past resident is Jim the Wonder Dog, a pet whose ability to predict the Kentucky Derby seven years in the row, the winner of the 1936 World Series and even the gender of newborns confounded and impressed both locals and psychologists. This dog is commemorated by a statue at the small Jim the Wonder Dog Park, which sits beside Marshall’s visitor center. The Marshall Philharmonic Orchestra, assembled in 1964, performs four free concerts annually and even mentors advanced string students in playing onstage alongside this city’s 50-piece orchestra. Throughout the year, the city gives residents plenty of opportunities to socialize over food and art. “Our cultural council and our Chamber of Commerce do a good job of keeping quarterly events coming, like a spring barbecue that draws a couple thousand people and a lot of distillery and food vendors to our square,” Phillips says. “There’s also a ‘Shopping under the Sun’ every August; a lot of craft vendors will put up shop around the square all day. The city tries to give vendors plenty of opportunities to come in, and these events wind up being downtown parties. Our corn husking competition is a popular community event tied to our history.”
Strong sports and education at Missouri Valley College
Students can attend the Marshall Public School District, which receives a C-plus rating from Niche. Graduates may opt to continue their education at Marshall’s own Missouri Valley College, which offers 40 academic majors and serves over 1,500 students. This college counts Harold “Chief” Roe Bartle, a future Mayor of Kansas City and namesake of the Kansas City Chiefs, among its notable faculty, coinciding with the school’s regionally renowned football program.
Keeping safe in Marshall
According to a 2023 FBI report, Marshall has consistently experienced an unpredictable crime rate. From 2013 to 2023, violent crime alternated between spiking well above the national and state averages and retreating to significantly below-average numbers. According to First Street, Marshall has low to moderate risks of fire, flooding and other natural disasters, although the city did experience a severe flood in 2021.
Access to cities and healthcare
From its location near the heart of the state, Marshall sits within an hour and a half’s drive from Kansas City, Columbia and Jefferson City. The nearest healthcare center, Fitzgibbon Hospital, is less than a 10-minute drive from downtown.
Written By
Jacob Adelhoch
