e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia Online

Marshall University

Colleges and Universities Section 5 of 34

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Marshall University began in 1837 as a small school in a log church in present-day Huntington, named after Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall. It became Marshall Academy in 1838 and later Marshall College. After the Civil War, it reopened in 1867 as the West Virginia State Normal School, training teachers.

By 1920, it had become a four-year college, awarding bachelor’s degrees. It earned university status in 1961. Over the decades, the school expanded with new buildings, academic programs, and sports success.

A tragic moment came in 1970, when a plane crash killed 75 members of the football team and staff. The university rebuilt and was later featured in the movie We Are Marshall.

Marshall added a medical school in 1978 and has since grown into a major health and research center. Recent achievements include new buildings, programs like digital forensics, engineering, and a flight school. In 2021, the men’s soccer team won the NCAA national championship.

Marshall is the state's second largest institution of higher learning, behind only West Virginia University.