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MARSHALL -- In the space of three years, the lot next door to Marshall's City Hall has undergone a complete transformation - from a vacant building into a place where people can gather and relax. On Tuesday, the city held an official ribbon-cutting for Terrace 1872. The finishing touches for the outdoor seating area, like landscaping and lighting, were put in this summer.
"It's been fun to see it come to fruition," said Preston Stensrud, Marshall parks and recreation superintendent. Over the past year or so, city workers have installed the features of the new terrace. The project is something that has enhanced downtown, he said.
The lot that became Terrace 1872 started out as the location of the former Marshall Hotel. The long boarded-up hotel building was torn down in 2020, after renovation work at City Hall uncovered extensive water damage to the structure.
Once the former hotel was gone, there was some debate on what to do with the empty lot. One suggestion was to turn it into a parking lot, Stensrud said, but in the end the city opted to add tables, benches and plant beds instead.
Last year, the public was invited to suggest names for the new outdoor space. Out of 80 submissions, Marshall City Council members chose the name "Terrace 1872." The name references 1872, the year when the city of Marshall was founded.
This summer, the terrace has become part of downtown events and celebrations, from Crazy Days to the "Tunes On the Terrace" series of outdoor musical performances.
Stensrud said Tuesday's ceremony was also a thank-you to the local residents, organizations and contractors who helped make Terrace 1872 a reality. Donors including the Marshall Lions Club, the Shades of the Past car club, the Dulas family and Ace Hardware all contributed to the project, Stensrud said. Contractors including Bend-Rite Fabrication, Hess Concrete, D&G Excavating, Action Landscape, Greenwood Nursery and more also played key roles in building the terrace.
The city and Marshall residents are always trying to make Marshall a better place, Stensrud said. "This is another example of it."