At CHRISTUS Health, we never stop working to make heart care better. With us, you have easy access to innovative diagnostics, rehabilitation, and the latest in heart surgery advancements – delivered with genuine thoughtfulness and compassion by our skilled cardiology team. To learn more about one of the area’s most comprehensive heart care programs, or to find a provider close to you, visit CHRISTUShealth.org.
The Many Smiling Faces of Marshall Manor Nursing & Rehab Providing Quality Care to the Residents.
The annual Senior Olympic Games were held on June 4th at Maud Cobb Convention Center. Over 200 participants from Assisted Livings and nursing facilities within a 60 mile radius of Longview were dressed in their Olympic attire and ready to compete. Marshall Manor showed their spirit from beginning to end with chanting and cheering. The residents participated in wheel chair races, bean bag toss, volleyball, dance contest and more.
Left to right - Johnesha Jackson, LVN, Kay Howard, LVN, Vicki Ott, Administrator, Robin Sharp, RN, DON and Priscilla Williams, LVN
Inspiration is defined as the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something.
Feeling too young or too old to start your own business? Allow Joshua Sanders to inspire you the way he credits his mother for being his inspiration. At the young age of 7, Joshua is the youngest member of the Greater Marshall Chamber of Commerce.
Speaking of business, Bear Creek Smokehouse is in their 81stt year of existence, and owner Robbie Shoults credits the foundation his grandfather and father created, which inspires him today to continuing growing the family business. Perhaps you have no desires to start the next great business, like Joshua or Robbie, but I invite you to read the Bear Creek Magic story as you might learn a new way of preparing your turkey that you never thought of before.
In sports, inspiration is often a message delivered in the form of a pre-game speech, but before the game players need the opportunity to grow their skills. Chris and Lydia Williams have created I20 Sports to provide more opportunities for young athletes to grow in volleyball and football, and perhaps more importantly grow as people.
Many have found our inspiration for what we strive for as adults in the classrooms of an educational institution. Harrison county is in a special situation, as it features, TSTC, Panola College, Wiley University and East Texas Baptist University all within the city limits of Marshall to conveniently serve the community. Writer Nicholas Osborn sits down with leaders of Wiley University and East Texas Baptist University to discuss their roles in community leadership and economic development.
After you finish reading this edition of Harrison Magazine, I am confident you will feel something. A growing energy of the great people who continue positively impacting Harrison County. We can never have enough people putting positive energy and action into our community.
To steal a phrase from our friends at Wiley University, ‘go forth inspired.’
Wiley University President Herman Felton Jr., left, and East Texas Baptist University President Blair Blackburn.
Photo by Les Hassell
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT WHIZ KID
Marshall baker is Chamber of Commerce’s youngest member
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FEATURE MOVERS OF MARSHALL
Wiley University, ETBU show solidarity in leadership, missions
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CULINARY DELIGHTS BEAR CREEK MAGIC
Harrison County institution has served smoked meats since 1943
HARRISON CHAMPION MAKING OPPORTUNITIES
Marshall couple give back by filling youth sports gap in Harrison County
BACKYARD SUPRISES BEST KEPT SECRET
Marshall Cinema combines affordability with fun to create popular spot for family fun
HOUR GLASS BATTLE HISTORY
Harrison County soldiers took part in pivotal Civil War fight
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Whiz Kid
Marshall baker, 7, is Chamber of Commerce’s youngest member
story by Jessica Harker | photos by Les Hassell
When Joshua Sanders was just 5 years old, he not only wanted to watch his mom, Aiesha Sanders, work in the kitchen, but he wanted to try it himself.
Now two years later, Joshua has not only become a chef, but he now runs his own business he calls Joshua’s Cooking Place.
“It was for Christmas and he was asking me for a skillet and a hot plate,” Aiesha Sanders said, “I was nervous at first, but if you have ever met Joshua, you know he is going to do anything he sets his mind to.”
Joshua said he was inspired watching his mother cook, and wanted to see what he could make up on his own. Using equipment and baking tools of his very own, Joshua now works to
make his own recipes along with more traditional family recipes he has discovered.
Aiesha Sanders remembered Joshua getting interested in entering a cooking contest through the local 4-H club, which he is an active member of. The competition was to come up with and create your own recipe, and was for children ages 5 through 18.
“He decided he wanted to make an orange soda cake, and he came up with that recipe and made it all on his own. Then he ends up winning second place, and that was just the beginning,” she said.
Today Joshua said that he couldn’t possibly pick a favorite recipe to make, cooking up sugar cookies, cupcakes, cake pops and more, all of which he sells through his business page on Facebook.
“I just really like cooking, I’m a chef, and I know what I’m doing,” Joshua Sanders said.
Joshua also worked on his own to become a member of the Greater Marshall Chamber of Commerce, and is the organization’s youngest business owner.
Aeisha Sanders said that Joshua met the Chamber’s Director Stacia Runnels at a local parade downtown, assisting her in judging before learning about the chamber itself and everything they do.
“I explained to him what the chamber does and he just looks back up at me and asks if he could join himself, and I told him to ask her about it,” Aeisha Sanders said.
Joshua then told Runnels all about Joshua’s Cooking Place, and is soon planning a grand opening ceremony with the chamber to celebrate the business.
Along with joining the chamber, Joshua also participates in a wide range of local events, including the recently held Network and Chill event hosted at the Marshall Convention Center.
“He is just something, his personality is so strong, once he gets an idea in his head he does through with it, mostly I just sit back and watch,” Aeisha Sanders said.
Community members can learn more about Joshua’s Cooking Place by visiting their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/129649293572949/.
Joshua Sanders and his mom Aeisha Sanders, work in the kitchen making a batch of sugar cookies at his home in Marshall.
Wiley University President Herman Felton Jr., left, and East Texas Baptist University President Blair Blackburn.
Movers Marshallof
Wiley University, ETBU show solidarity in leadership, missions
story by Nicholas Osborn | photos by Les Hassell
Serving as pillars of Harrison County upholding faith, education and progress, Wiley University and East Texas Baptist University are institutions committed to both achieving excellence in the community today, and putting in the work to usher in a greater tomorrow.
Located in the heart of Marshall no more than a few miles down the road from one another, these academic institutions are paving the way to more than just success for their students — they are shining a light on a future of economic and cultural opportunity for the community right outside their doors.
For each university, there exists a charge to follow a faith-based mission in not just academic endeavors, but also outreach, activism, and investment into the community they serve. ETBU’s 13th President Blair J. Blackburn detailed how the common call to Christian education represents a unique chance to pursue similarly inspired goals both together with Wiley University, and separately.
“It’s a phenomenal opportunity for us to work together, and separately, toward our Christ-centered missions, to proclaim God’s truths,” said Blackburn. “And to invest in the lives of young people, to see their lives transformed by education, to see the
opportunity for their spiritual formation and how that spiritual formation combined with their education is going to translate into the impact that they’ll make beyond our institutions.”
Wiley University’s 17th President and CEO Herman J. Felton Jr. called out their common mission and the impact they have on students entering their campuses. The resulting influence is one that helps to shape a formidable individual who can go out into the world and create a positive change, starting with a divine foundation from which everything else is built upon.
“I think what this country needs is more people clear about what God asks us to do, and that’s love our neighbors,” said Felton Jr. “To be in a space where you get to have a pulpit, a bully pulpit, over impressionable young men and women as we shape them with a skill to go out and take their rightful place, but to fundamentally undergird them with this idea that the human race is the only one that matters. There’s something that is divinely orchestrated for us, a map for us to follow, and that is to be kind, to do the best that we can for each other and to each other.”
This mission has led each institution to go out into Harrison County, the State of Texas, and across the
world to facilitate a positive impact driven by their faith. For members of the local community, it won’t take long to see how those investments are better enabling success for everyone.
Wiley University made waves in the academic space with their recent formation of a graduate studies program to enable students to receive a master’s degree in several fields. This endeavor is coupled with new initiatives such as a $2.5 million workforce development grant to reimagine a wing of the old Pemberton High School to assist in training, investments into financial literacy through an app available for students, faculty, staff and alumni, and even an large-scale grant allowing the university to create affordable housing for nontraditional students, faculty, and staff. Together, it brings a new level of aspirational growth to the area.
“That is directly attributable to the understanding that it’s one thing to sit in the ivory tower and worry about what’s going on in your campus, but for our campuses, education is an economic driver in this town,” said Felton Jr. “The outlook has to be external when we talk about future growth.”
As ETBU showcases an investment into the region through their downtown Marshall revitalization projects such as the Marshall Grand and Synergy buildings, Blackburn emphasized their commitment to investing into the East Texas region. Projects such as the recently built Teague School of Nursing covering a wide range of healthcare issues, and the use of grant funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration for economic development enhancement, are emblematic of such a responsibility. ETBU was also just accredited for one of the region’s only master’s programs in speech language pathology. The commitment is one based on an understanding that everything begins in their home of Harrison county and inspires action to address needs reflected in the community.
“We have a commitment to investing in the region, in East Texas, and having a workforce that’s ready to serve and that makes a contribution to the organizations, the businesses, and industries that need workers,” said Blackburn.
For each institution to take space so closely together, to share a common Christ-centered foundation and goal to serve their neighbor, it should come as no surprise that both Wiley University and ETBU understand the responsibility they have to the community just outside their door.
“Community is where you walk out your door, wherever that is,” explained Felton Jr. “Community is Marshall, community is Harrison County, community is also, what I believe, an inherent responsibility to do no harm.”
“Our commitment has been to help our students understand their responsibility, which comes from God’s assignment to invest themselves into other people, to deny self for the benefit of others,” Blackburn added.
Although not everyone in Harrison County might be directly engaged with the campuses of Wiley University and ETBU,
the mutual understanding of the schools’ work has created an impact that can be felt throughout the entire community. It can be found in local public education efforts, workforce development, industry-based training, and partnerships with organizations for civic improvement. These initiatives do not come without their challenges, however.
“I think we’re constantly having conversations in an echo chamber, but breaking those walls out and figuring out, how does this apply to the community? How can this help?” Felton Jr. said.
Oftentimes, the challenges facing each of the academic universities presents a chance to find opportunity for the community, to address needs and provide a path towards achievement that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. Wiley University’s partnership with the New Town Neighborhood Association to bring newfound significance to a local public park represents a meaningful step forward in this path.
“I am getting ready to sign an agreement with the city to use the Smith Park to house our newest addition to our athletic program with softball,” said Felton Jr. “This now allows for us to partner with the city to enhance that park.”
For ETBU, Blackburn said he sees opportunity for both universities, despite Harrison County ranking as an educationally impoverished county where only 21.5% of the population has earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“We both reside in one of the most impoverished counties in Texas, with an education alignment level of less than 30% for bachelor’s degrees,” explained Blackburn. “There is an educational opportunity for both of us because of the lack of bachelor degree completion.”
Ultimately, as economic, cultural and academic movers of Marshall and beyond, Wiley University and ETBU provide more than just educational opportunities. On their own, the institutions work diligently to serve their community, but together, they showcase what could be on the horizon for all of Harrison County.
“I think Harrison County has before it a really, really simple decision that it needs to make,” said Felton Jr. “Are we going to be OK, or are we going to be great? I think the anchor for education is a head start exponentially greater than most areas the size of this town have.”
“I need to be very clear. Blair and I look different. That’s it. He serves an institution and a population that is predominantly different in look than what I serve at Wiley. That’s it. We look different. There’s no other difference,” continued Felton Jr. “We are both committed to Christ. We’re both committed to excellence. We’re both committed to the community. If this city is to be the exemplar that it once was, there’s so many origins that started here, why not create more origins? And that is to be a model city that really coalesces around this idea of first taking care of home.”
In order to better shine a light on this future that Wiley University and ETBU alike believes is right around the corner for Harrison County, each institution must face the accountability required.
“As believers in Jesus, we’re accountable first and foremost to God,” said Blackburn. “We’re accountable to our institution and our community. When you think about that, it’s our students, our faculty, our staff, our alumni, our donors, contributors and supporters; it’s even the agitators. Right? We are accountable to the community.”
“Even though we’re not public institutions, we contribute to the public. You can’t get more public than Wiley and ETBU. We see ourselves as community institutions of higher education, and we’re not isolated unto ourselves. We see the value for our students. We see the value in our own lives of what it means to give ourselves to others. We have that responsibility to contribute to the community — but we are accountable.”
Wiley University and ETBU have worked together and separately to provide a shared beacon to Harrison County, where every member of the community can feel their impact. It isn’t only on the institutions and the community as a whole to act however, their collective work stems from individual leadership. Felton Jr. and Blackburn have each found themselves in leadership positions poised to shape a vision of excellence for the future that reaches across the county, throughout the state, and into the global marketplace.
“I’m grateful to be a friend and a fellow educator with Herman,” said Blackburn. “We determined when we first met each other that we were going to be friends. There was just a connection to us, and we knew that we were going to support each other. We certainly both believe in excellence, and not that we’re in competition, but excellence breeds excellence.”
“The work we get to do together in education, we can do it collaboratively and we do, and we can do it individually because we can spread out and touch more by the different pathways that we both get to serve through our institutions,” continued Blackburn.
“I believe that this town, the citizens, our educational institutions, our friendship in solid and genuine, is an anomaly,” Felton Jr. followed. “All of those things together are not happening in educational towns across America. The alignment that we have here, I think puts us on a platform to make a quantum leap as a county. I think we could focus on the challenges, and the road is fraught with them, right? You’ve got all kinds of challenges, but we sit firmly in the possibilities.”
“I see us meeting in the middle, where downtown is the middle place, and our desire is to build up everything that separates the downtown,” continued Felton Jr. “This is an anchor, and it’s how we’re going to bring this community even more in solidarity with each other.”
Bear CreekMagic
Harrison County institution has served smoked meats since 1943
story by Nicholas Osborn | photos by Les Hassell
Bear Creek Smokehouse is more than just a Harrison County institution. It’s a Texas institution. Throughout more than 80 years of serving up some of the best meat selections around — including their famous smoked turkey — the thriving family business says they have focused on pouring their core values of “Food, Family and Faith” into everything they do.
The results speak for themselves, too. With a plethora of options of poultry, pork, beef and more, all from a 16,600 square foot General Store tucked away in the piney woods outside of Marshall, Bear Creek Smokehouse prides themselves on having something for everyone. It’s called a shoppers paradise, a barbecue junkie’s dream and the finest tourist trap in East Texas. With multiple generations of the Shoults family operating the institution, owner Robbie Shoults said they have been blessed, but it hasn’t always been easy.
“We are in our 81st year, and we’ve been blessed, but there’s been a lot of struggles from where we started to where we are now,” said Shoults.
Shoults pointed to his dad and his grandad as the motivation for his ongoing success with Bear Creek Smokehouse. The legacy they left behind has inspired him to continue growing the family business, and build on the foundation that they provided.
“My grandad and dad left a big legacy behind, and it was all about farming and ranching,” said Shoults. “We’re doing everything we can to preserve the foundation that my grandad and dad laid.”
The land that the Bear Creek Smokehouse General Store is located on has been worked throughout four generations of
Tracy, left, and Robbie Shoults .
the Shoults family, helping the business to grow into a destination that brings customers from all over the country.
“There’s something magical about it,” said Shoults. “Folks from town just want to come and try to soak it up for a little bit, just savor it. They want to relax in the quietness and the peacefulness of it. We have people that will come sit on the front porch out here and eat ice cream and just enjoy that view.”
Bear Creek Smokehouse has continued to expand throughout each generation, from vertical integration of raising and processing their own turkeys from just a day old, to bringing in high quality turkeys and applying what Shoults calls the Bear Creek magic that makes them so special. He said everything they do is built on the family recipes developed through the years.
“The Bear Creek Magic is what we do to the meat once it gets in the plant,” explained Shoults. “For everything we produce, there’s a lot of different recipes and things that my grandad and grandmother, my dad and mom, all came up with. Even today, years and years, decades later, we’re holding true to those recipes.”
“We’re not wavering,” continued Shoults. “We’re not looking for cheaper ingredients, to change the recipes, or anything. We’re sticking with the magic that brought us to the dance.”
The family recipes that keep thousands of people coming back to Bear Creek Smokehouse each year tells a story all their own. From the pit room in the back of the General Store open for fresh lunches and dinners, to the processed meats offered in any variety imaginable, the recipes bring a sense of magic into every dish served. Whether you are looking for brisket, ribs, sausage, pulled pork, or cranberry turkey salad after shopping — or to take home a famous smoked turkey, a wide array of beef cuts, whole or spiral hams in flavors like mango habanero, or even six different flavors of bacon like peppered smoke — each of the Bear Creek Smokehouse offerings come packed with flavor backed by a longstanding family legacy.
“My dad put it good one time, he said everything we make or serve is going to be reduced down to one bite, so that bite has to count, it’s got to be good,” said Shoults. “And he also said it doesn’t cost any more to make it taste good.”
Shoults said he likes to think of Bear Creek Smokehouse as a boutique style smokehouse, due to the fact that they are not just another cookie cutter operation. Upholding everything from the traditions that made the place unique to the recipes that customers love helps the family business to achieve success by doing things the old fashioned way.
“All of our stuff is still touched by hand and trimmed by hand, cut by hand, packaged by hand, and everything else,” said Shoults. “There’s a lot of pride and workmanship, great workmanship, that goes into every product that we make.”
Original family home at Bear Creek Smokehouse.
This generational legacy has also provided tips for preparing a meal that some would call unexpected to say the least. When discussing one of their favorite methods of preparing a Bear Creek smoked turkey, Shoults said if people want to eat the turkey warmed up, the trick is using a dishwasher without the soap. Although people might laugh, Shoults said after letting it come to room temperature, they’ve found it provides a uniquely effective process to warm up a smoked turkey while still in the bag, making it just right to serve for Thanksgiving.
“If you’ve got to have it warm, heat it up in that bag. That washing process and the hot water running over it and everything, they’re going to be fabulous,” said Shoults. “That might be kind of a funny story, but it works.”
Bear Creek Smokehouse continues to grow by focusing on their values and investing into the future, such as the recently opened Marshall Mercantile store in downtown Marshall and a new restaurant coming soon. No matter what you are looking for, the Bear Creek magic that can be found in every product they offer is more than just a recipe or a beautiful view. It’s the culmination of generations of hard work, keeping alive an enduring tradition of faith and family-inspired excellence.
“I’m just trying to preserve that family legacy, and make sure that we’ve got everything in shape for my kids, and my grandkids, to be successful too,” said Shoults.
MAKING OPPORTUNITIES
Marshall couple give back by filling youth sports gap in Harrison County
For Christian and Lydia Williams, the yearning to impact kid’s lives with sports started with an opportunity – an opportunity to give back to the community they grew up in and proudly represent as Marshall High School alums.
With their son Kasch growing up and wanting to get involved in sports, they realized the lack of resources for youth who desire to play sports and have something to do in the summer. Kids had to travel to Dallas, Tyler and Shreveport, among many other cities, and spend a large amount of money to ensure their kids could continue to perfect their craft in their respective sports.
Chris and Lydia saw the potential in the youth athletes from Marshall, and the surrounding towns, and thus I20 Sports was born in November 2023.
“We started I20 because we saw there was a lack of youth sports here in Marshall. They don’t have any youth involvement in sports [whereas] in Tyler kids can start playing in the school district in third grade,” said Lydia.
Chris and Lydia wanted nothing more than to expand youth
sports to Marshall. Why not Marshall? Why not provide a whole town and area filled with great youth athletes with astronomical potential to come and get involved in sports?
I20 started with a basketball and volleyball league during the school year, and this summer they have a volleyball league and two 7-on-7 flag coed flag football leagues for various age groups. The kids get the chance to meet new people, work as a team and learn life lessons that sometimes only come in an organized structure like sports.
But I20 doesn’t just serve kids from Marshall. Represented in their sports are kids from Jefferson, Harleton, Waskom and Elysian Fields who take the short trip to participate in this promising league.
Chris and Lydia did not want I20 to just serve Marshall and only Marshall. They realized how important bringing together the surrounding towns and kids from different backgrounds and walks of life is to running a successful league and building relationships. To ensure further accessibility to be a part of I20, they try to make the prices of joining the respective
story by Lauren Rosenberg | photos by Les Hassell
leagues as affordable as possible so more kids can join.
“[In the smaller towns] they might not have the opportunity to play organized sports in the summer or can’t afford it. We feel like there’s no reason to [price] gauge and want to make it affordable to people [from all walks of life],” said Lydia.
I20 is not only about sports. I20 is about community and fostering a place where everyone can feel welcome. Just walking into the gym for a volleyball match or looking around the football field for flag football, everyone is talking to each other and engaged. Chris and Lydia are always running around ensuring everyone is having a great time and talking to every single person.
“One of the reasons we have this program is to ensure we have community development. The main thing about [Marshall] is there are a lot of kids that aren’t following the right paths. We try and make sure everyone has an opportunity and gets a chance to not only learn these sports but to actually come to a safe place where they can enjoy their days and have something to do,” said Chris.
As with any new organization, putting your business out there and trying to promote as much as possible to get families involved and register their kids for sports is a tough task. Chris and Lydia went to Facebook and started posting about I20, which caught the attention of many parents. Angie Davis, whose daughters Amaya, a junior in high school, and Layla, an eighth-grader, play volleyball and basketball, found I20 scrolling through Facebook.
“I found out about I20 through Facebook but also from some friends whose kids played previously,” said Davis.
Makenna Nance, a sophomore on Marshall’s volleyball team, found out about I20 through her mom on Facebook.
“My mom was just scrolling through Facebook as she always does and I20 popped up. She asked me if I wanted to do this because you can work on yourself [and your game] more than you can in high school,” said Nance.
Eulius Reed is an eighth-grader who also found out about I20 through Facebook. Instead of his mom scrolling, he was the one who stumbled upon the post. He asked his mom if he could join and started playing basketball and 7-on-7 football.
Marilu Santander, a junior on the Marshall volleyball team, found out about I20 through a friend. They were going to join together, but Santander ended up joining herself. Santander always wanted to join a club team and having one right in Marshall was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.
When Chris and Lydia first came up with I20, their family immediately jumped on board. They wanted to help them succeed in any way possible and Denise Jackson plays a huge role in their success.
Jackson is Chris’ cousin. She initially enrolled her kids in the program so they could have something to do and be active but she wanted to do more. She coaches volleyball, basketball and football while also helping out with concessions or being the line judge at volleyball matches.
“I have kids so I bring my kids here to keep them busy and then I was asked to coach so I chose to be a part of that to support Chris and the program,” said Jackson.
Chris’ younger cousin, Khol Scott is a participant in volleyball but she isn’t a local East Texan. Every summer she comes to Marshall to be with family from Houston. She aspires to one day play Division 1 volleyball and, as a seventh-grader, she has the dedication to do so. Joining I20 is helping her grow her game while staying active and busy with her family.
“My aunt suggested [joining I20] and it made me think that I can finally do something in the summer rather than sit on my phone doing nothing while at home. Instead I could be [playing volleyball] and not something involved in electronics. Also I can spend time with my family in Marshall and while playing my favorite sport,” said Scott.
Scott and her cousin Kasch are extremely tight. They are always together and supporting each other. Kasch loves playing with Scott but also enjoys being a part of his parent’s league.
“It is amazing [to be a part of I20]. They are people in Marshall that probably won’t give us chances and say no because we’re from Marshall. It is also really cool to see my parents run [I20] and I love playing sports with my friends and them,” said Kasch.
Darly Stampley started out as many parents did by signing
Chris and Lydia Williams
their kids up for basketball. She saw how much the coaches impacted the kids and how much they loved being a part of I20 that she wanted to make a difference as well.
Undoubtedly the main goal of I20 is to give kids a chance to be themselves, grow as people on and off the court/field and develop their game. The coaches and parents continue to see the growth of their kids even in a short span of a few weeks.
“After my kids played basketball, I asked Chris if I could become a coach. My favorite part is seeing the kids develop and form a playbook. I also love seeing how energetic the kids get and to see their growth every week,” said Stampley.
Chris’ right-hand man, Ashton Demurrell, coaches volleyball and basketball for I20. In conjunction with I20, he runs a camp called Marshall Elite Basketball where the kids intersect. Demurrell gets the opportunity to see the kids he coaches in I20 and in his camp grow and sees the impact sports have on their lives.
“I was invited to one of the basketball games and I wanted to see what was going on because there’s not many [youth sports] opportunities in Marshall. I connected with Chris and we quickly realized that we held the same vision and passion to grow youth sports in Marshall,” said Demurrell.
The common thread between all of the coaches, parents and Chris and Lydia, is seeing their kids grow in not only their athletic skills but as people. With participants as young elementary students to high schoolers, the group is teaching values of how to be a good person and guiding them on the right path in life. Davis’ favorite part is seeing both of her daughters grow on the court while also competing against each other.
“I20 gets them ready for the upcoming school year while also squaring them out as people. I love seeing them play against each other because it’s amazing to see them compete and encourage each other after their games,” said Davis.
Roaming around and seeing the passion each and everyone of the kids have for their sports was absolutely remarkable.
No matter if a play was a bust, a slight mess up or a game sealing moment, everyone encouraged and hyped each other up. In I20, there is no room for negativity, no room for self-deprecation and especially no room for disrespect between the kids themselves and the kids and coaches.
The opportunity to meet other kids from all over East Texas put an emphasis on not only learning about kids they might play with or against each other during the school seasons but learn about different walks of life.
For Santander, she thought some of her teammates and competitors were from Tatum, Waskom or any other town around Marshall but when she found out they lived in Marshall, she was excited. She met a teammate who will be a freshman at Marshall in two years when she is a senior. Forming that bond and chemistry before they’ll even get to be high school teammates is irreplaceable, she said.
“My favorite part is meeting new people and finding out about teammates who live in Marshall and not Tatum or Waskom. Finding out [one of my teammates] is from Marshall is super exciting and very cool,” said Santander.
Reed raved about Chris and how he impacted his life as an athlete at I20.
“Coach Chris is amazing. He’s a good mentor for me. He is always positive and never curses at us or brings us down. He is always nice and [goes out of his way] to help us in our sports and as people,” said Reed.
In East Texas, community is everything. Having the right people who are great with kids and are positive is important for Chris and Lydia.
“Supporters have been dedicated since the beginning. That’s why we have the league the way it is. Every coach is different and every kid is different. We have meetings to talk about how to improve and give these kids the opportunities to succeed. We can’t do this without the community backing us up,” said Chris.
BEST KEPT SECRET
Marshall Cinema combines affordability with fun to create popular spot for family fun
story by Robin Y. Richardson | photos by Les Hassell
For a family fun experience at an affordable price, movie lovers can look no further than Marshall Cinema, located at 1901 E. Travis St. in Marshall.
“The owner, he believes in families,” said Marshall Cinema General Manager Ernesto Esquivel. “And he knows that families with big families actually (have) a lot of low income, and that’s one reason he keeps the tickets low. He keeps the tickets low to where people can come up here, they (can) still bring a family of five up here and it’ll be just $20 to get in.”
“And our concession prices, he likes to keep them 35% below everybody else just to try to help out wherever he can in bringing those families up here,” said Esquivel. “That’s one of our biggest mottos.”
The ticket price for adults is $6. Prices for children and senior citizens are $4. The matinee price (any show before 6 p.m.) is $4 for all.
Concession items include hot dogs, pickles, popcorn, candies, nachos, fountain drinks and more.
The affordable pricing is what makes Marshall Cinema a popular attraction to not only local residents, but to nearby travelers, too.
“A lot come from Shreveport over here,” shared Athene Hopkins, assistant manager. “I mean all the time.”
It’s a best kept secret that’s eagerly made its rounds throughout the town.
“You know when it comes to everybody else, especially other theaters, they advertise everywhere,” said Esquivel. “We advertise by word of mouth; but that’s what you get in a small town. Word of mouth is the best.”
Throughout the decades, Marshall Cinema has grown exponentially, transforming from a two-screen theater during its opening in August 1973 to its current six screens.
“We’re a six screen theater here in Marshall. It went through all the stages, from a two-screen theater… then three-screen, then five, and now six,” said Esquivel.
“The owner took it over in 1985, and got it up and going,” he said. “Since then he’s been just trying to grow it bigger and bigger, but he’s always kept the same (motto) — keeping tickets low and getting families in here.”
Special Features
The cinema offers itself as an independent multiplex, according to its website, featuring high-back rocker chairs, stadium seating and 3-D projection.
“Our largest theater is 299 seats. Our max out is 270, but we have 299 seats,” said Esquivel.
Families enjoy the various film selections the cinema offers, ranging from classics, to comedy to adventure, to dramas, to horrors, to animations and more.
“We go through a booker, and the booker is the one that allows us to receive certain movies. But we do get all the new movies that come in,” said Esquivel. “So if a movie is wide release, we’re usually getting it. But if it’s limited release, we may not be able to get it.”
Nevertheless, the theater keeps a steady rotation of films for all to enjoy. The great summer hit, so far, drawing children and families this year has been the newly released animation Inside Out 2, while adult audiences have flocked to the theater to see the new action packed comedy, Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
And it’s always neat when movies, like the cute animation Inside Out 2, can be viewed in 3-D.
“That is a wonderful movie,” said Esquivel.
“Sometimes you may do movies with the 3-D effect,” he noted. “We got two of our theaters set up for 3-D. And we do run the 3-D movies here whenever we can get them. Inside Out, actually we have in 3-D. So this is a great one to see.”
Marshall Cinema has also become a popular attraction for school field trips as it happily hosts local and area schools throughout the year.
“We host school field trips here for schools. They always tell us, most of those kids have never been to a movie theater before, so they’re so excited when they get to come here and see a movie,” said Esquivel.
“It’s really neat,” added Hopkins. “We pull in schools from all over — not just Marshall. They come from Pine Tree, Atlanta — from all over. They come here, I think, partly because of the price.”
Marshall Cinema also offers unbeatable deals to accommodate schools.
“Usually, depending on the size of school, it’s like $6 and that includes the movie ticket popcorn and drink, which is just wonderful because you almost can’t plan a field trip for some-
thing like that,” shared Hopkins.
Summer is particularly an exciting time at Marshall Cinema as families frequent the theater to enjoy quality time in front of the big screen.
“During summertime, we see a lot of families come in. And they come from all over,” said Esquivel.
“It’s almost like Marshall is a vacation spot to come to,” he beamed. “A lot of people like to get back to East Texas and the Piney Tree Woods. They always tell us they really missed the smell of the pine trees when they come into town.”
The fact that the theater is open for daily summer matinees makes it even more appealing.
“During the school year we close during the day time, but during the summer we’re open for matinees and evening shows all day every day, which is a good advantage for families who want that matinee price to be able to come any day of the week and not have to wait for the weekend to come,” said Hopkins.
Special Events
Marshall Cinema has also been the site of various special events, including the premiere of “The Great Debaters,” featuring the entire cast, including Academy Award winner Denzel Washington in attendance.
“That was a great one to have,” recalled Esquivel.
Marshall Cinema also had the esteemed honor of hosting the premiere of the documentary/drama “Uncertain,” a colorful portrait of the quaint town in Harrison County.
“We did the premiere of Uncertain several years ago,” recalled Hopkins. “We had the director and (crew). They were all here talking to audiences. That was really well received.”
“We had that movie for a good long while because it was local,” she said. “People kept coming to it, so we kept it.”
And while the days of camping out for new releases are long gone, Marshall Cinema currently offers unique viewing opportunities for early releases.
“We used to have those midnight showings. That’s been so long ago since we had those. But what we do now, instead of having a midnight showing Thursday night, we actually open it up Thursday day at 3 o’clock,” noted Esquivel. “So if there’s a big show somebody’s anticipating to come see, they could come watch it Thursday afternoon. That’s the earliest release it can be.”
Marshall Cinema strives to maintain standard movie hours, offering viewings at noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., and 9 p.m., seven days a week.
“We try to keep those times,” said Esquivel. “We’ll adjust them accordingly, because we know Inside Out (for an instance) is a big movie. So we try to adjust the times just a bit to where one will start at 12, one will start at 1 and then 2 and 3
and so on, and make sure everybody gets to come to the movie. So if it’s a big movie, we pretty much guarantee everybody will see it because we’re gonna get them in either this hour or the next.”
Marshall Cinema is pleased to serve the public seven days a week, including holidays. Christmas, in particular, is a favorite time of the year as the theater welcomes families to spend the evening with them.
“Everybody always needs somewhere to go,” said Esquivel. “And we are here for them.”
“Especially Christmas,” said Hopkins, sharing it’s one of their biggest days.
“Christmas… Fourth of July, we get packed until it starts to get dark,” Esquivel chuckled. “All the major holidays, everybody’s here.”
Marshall Cinema’s tall, neon marquee captures patrons’ attention from the highway, readily leading them to the theater to get a peak of the showings.
“Everybody can see where we’re at,” Esquivel gleamed.
“We got hit pretty hard when we had that hail storm that just came through. It destroyed almost 50% of our neon, but we’re getting it all back up and getting it all looking pretty again. It looks great at night! I love it, too.”
Special Features
And for a more convenient visit, Marshall Cinema offers the opportunity to download its free app, allowing viewers to browse the latest movies and showtimes, at their convenience, as well as reserve tickets.
“We do have an app and that is one of the best places to go to check show times,” said Hopkins. “It’s updated immediately. As soon as we put the times in for the week, they’re there.”
“So that makes it really easy for people who want to pre-buy tickets or people who just want to see what’s playing,” she said. “Sometimes people just want to know, and that way, they can at least take a gander and just get a feel for it and just see if they want to come or ask their kids if they want to come.”
Marshall Cinema has always strived to be there for its customers, even during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In COVID we took a big hit, especially when they shut us down,” said Esquivel. “The owner took care of us that entire time. And then he called us while we were at home and he said: ‘Hey, they said that we could serve our popcorn and drinks.’ People on Facebook were asking, and people online were asking and so we decided you know what? Let’s go. So we’d open up a couple hours each day to sell popcorn and drinks and hotdogs. And our loyal, everyday customers were here every single day. That helped us out. It was very nice. I was really surprised at how many people came up here just to get popcorn — get popcorn, go home, watch their TV. They loved it. It was a great idea.”
It’s an idea that the cinema is honored to continue on today.
“That’s one thing that’s carried through since COVID,” said Hopkins. “People will come in all the time now just to buy popcorn. They don’t even need to buy a ticket. They just walk in, buy popcorn and go.”
The to-go popcorn concession is a particularly a favorite treat during lunch time and family nights.
“During lunchtime, we have a lot of those,” said Esquivel. “And on Friday night or any night of the week that you have a family night, just come up here and get you some popcorn and some drinks and take that with you.”
“It just helps us to have that extra boost in our concession sales,” said Hopkins. “We have little covers for the popcorn, so it won’t spill in your car. We make it easy for everybody.”
Esquivel said it’s been the staff’s pleasure to serve the Marshall-Harrison County community and beyond.
“I remember when I was little, there was a movie called Golden Ticket. So a little boy tore the ticket, and he was able to go inside the movie; and it started off being inside of a movie theater. I always wondered how the movies were made at that time,” the general manager said.
“(Now) to go upstairs and be able to see the actual projector shooting out the movie has just been like an awesome experience,” he shared. “And I loved it every day since I’ve been up here! You go up in there and you look down and you can see the audience reactions, their faces — you know — whenever it is the scares, and whenever it’s the family moments or the happy or the laughing funny comedies. You know, people’s faces are just amazing … to see them inside theaters.”
“We love it when the families come up here and have fun and have a good time inside our theaters,” said Esquivel. “We love it, especially when people respect it.”
They love seeing the audiences escape from reality, and drawn into the movie.
“You go in there and they’re quiet. Everybody has a good time,” he said. “That’s great.”
Harrison County’s Confederate soldiers saw battle at Mansfield
Marshall, Texas did not see a battle in the U.S. Civil War. The closest action took place more than 60 miles away in Mansfield, Louisiana as Union forces targeted Shreveport.
Shreveport was a main target, but so was Marshall, according to Bill Elliott. Elliott and co-presenter Jonathan McCarty detailed events surrounding the Battle of Mansfield, medical practices during the war and Harrison County’s overall presence in the Confederacy at a special talk hosted by the Harrison County Historical Commission and Marshall Historic Landmark Preservation Board ahead of their spring awards ceremony.
“It was the closest one to us, and we had a lot of men from Harrison County that served in that battle,” Elliott said of the Battle of Mansfield. “Everybody always says that they were out to get Shreveport. The reality of it: They were out to get Marshall and Jefferson just as important as Shreveport.”
According to the American Battlefield Trust, the Battle of Mansfield and subsequent Battle at Pleasant Hill, was part of the Red River Campaign, which was one of “General-in-Chief Ulysses S. Grant’s initiatives to apply simultaneous pressure on Confederate armies along five separate fronts from Louisiana to Virginia.
“In addition to defeating the defending Confederate army, the campaign sought to confiscate cotton stores from plantations along the river and to give support to pro-Union governments
in Louisiana. By early April, Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks’ Union army was about 150 miles up the Red River threatening Shreveport. Confederate Maj. Gen. Richard Taylor sought to strike a blow at the Federals and slow their advance. He established a defensive position just below Mansfield, near Sabine Crossroads, an important road junction. On April 8th, Banks’s men approached, driving Confederate cavalry before them. For the rest of the morning, the Federals probed the Rebel lines. In late afternoon, Taylor, though outnumbered, decided to attack. His men made a determined assault on both flanks, rolling up one and then another of Banks’s divisions. Finally, about three miles from the original contact, a third Union division met Taylor’s attack at 6:00 pm and halted it after more than an hour’s fighting. That night, Taylor unsuccessfully attempted to turn Banks’s right flank. Banks withdrew but met Taylor again on April 9th at Pleasant Hill. Mansfield was the decisive battle of the Red River Campaign, influencing Banks to retreat back southward toward Alexandria.”
story and photo by Meredith Shamburger
An engraving of the Battle of Mansfield on April 8, 1864. Photo courtesy of Library of Congress
Elliott notes Shreveport was military headquarters of the general for that time – but Marshall was the hub for the Confederate government’s operations. The capital of Missouri was in Marshall, as well as the treasury for the Trans-Mississippi Department and the Confederacy’s post office. Marshall was also involved in the production of gunpowder, clothing, hats, leather goods and shoes, in addition to having a strong quartermaster department. A bit further north, Jefferson was processing cattle.
“Shreveport, you’ve just got a military headquarters,” he said. “And, you know, money drives everything. The money was here. So everybody nowadays is always saying, well, they come up the Red River to get Shreveport. It was just as important to get us and Jefferson.”
Overall, Elliott noted Harrison County supplied 13 units to the Confederacy, or a little over 1,000 men, for those
battles. Many were seriously wounded or died. Elliott noted General Walter P. Lane, who was noted for his role in the Texas War of Independence, the Mexican War and the Civil War, was wounded at Mansfield and taken back to Marshall.
“He was wounded in Mansfield, and they were able to load him up in a wagon and bring him back to Marshall, and on the way to Marshall his brother and other law partner, his brothers, they were going to get him. They heard he had been hurt; they were going down there to get him and they met the wagon all the way in between. And so since the general was alright, they went ahead and stayed with the ‘boys,’ as they called it, you know. And these are older, successful businessmen, but they got to come back and brag about ‘We stayed overnight with the boys,’ which really wasn’t doing what the boys did, but they gave him bragging rights,” Elliott said.
Down s Fune ral Home
Thank
Mansfield map from Banks official report. Photo courtesy of Library of Congress
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