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Highlights of Marshall Texas Driving Tour
Item 9 of 10

Ginocchio Historic District

Introduction

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The Ginocchio Historic District preserves a number of historic structures including the former Ginocchio Hotel, the Texas & Pacific Depot, and historic homes. It is named after Italian native and successful businessman Charles A. Ginocchio, who built the hotel and one of the houses for himself and his family. The depot, which still operates as a train station for Amtrak, is also home to the Texas & Pacific Railway Museum. The Ginocchio restaurant occupies the first floor of the hotel. Both buildings and the homes in the district are notable landmarks in their own right, particularly in terms of architecture. To reach the depot, visitors must walk through an underground tunnel that extends from the hotel. Next to the depot are two pieces of Union Pacific railroading stock—a caboose and locomotive. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Images

The Texas & Pacific Depot was built in 1912 and houses a museum and an Amtrak ticket office.

The Texas & Pacific Depot was built in 1912 and houses a museum and an Amtrak ticket office.

The former Ginocchio Hotel was built in 1896 and is now home to a restaurant.

The former Ginocchio Hotel was built in 1896 and is now home to a restaurant.

Italian businessman Charles A. Ginocchio erected this Queen Anne house in 1886.

Italian businessman Charles A. Ginocchio erected this Queen Anne house in 1886.

Backstory and Context

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Texas & Pacific Railway Museum

The Texas & Pacific Railway built the depot in 1912. Its design combines the Prairie School and Mediterranean architectural styles, which, with its red brick exterior, gives it a distinctive appearance. The depot is the only building remaining that was once part of a large railroad complex. The museum features a variety of railroad artifacts and memorabilia on display, exhibits describing the history of the depot and railroad shops, and interactive displays such as a model train and pull whistle.

Ginocchio Hotel

Ginocchio built the hotel in 1896. The three-story building was designed by a man named C.G. Lancaster, who also helped design the old Harrison County Courthouse. Lancaster designed the hotel to withstand the vibrations caused by the passing trains nearby. As such, the building features twenty-inch thick brick walls set on an ironstone foundation ten feet into the ground. Stores, a cafe, lobby, ballroom, and dining room occupied the first floor; the hotel rooms were located on the second and third floors. In the early 1900s, large numbers of immigrants passed through Marshall on the Texas & Pacific Railroad. To feed them, the hotel served buffet-style meals on long tables in the ballroom, which could accommodate 300-400 people. They had to eat quickly as the train stopped for only 45 minutes. The hotel operated until 1968. It was remodeled (and saved from demolition) and opened as a restaurant.

Ginocchio House

Lancaster also designed Ginocchio's home, which he built in 1886. It is three-stories tall and a fine example of Queen Anne architecture, featuring an irregular, steeply pitched roof (including pyramidal roofed cupola topped by a finial), and a porch with wood columns, spindlework and lace-like brackets. The interior features elaborate woodwork created by craftsmen from the nearby railroad shops. The house remains a private residence today.

Sources

"Ginocchio-Cook-Pedison House." The Historical Marker Database. Accessed October 14, 2020. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=110906.

"Ginocchio Hotel and Restaurant." The Historical Marker Database. Accessed October 14, 2020. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=110872.

Hume, Gary et al. "Ginocchio Historic District." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. December 31, 1974. https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/media/40972519/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/74002076.pdf.

"Marshall: Texas and Pacific Railroad Museum/Depot." Accessed October 14, 2020. https://texasforesttrail.com/plan-your-adventure/historic-sites-and-cities/sites/texas-and-pacific-railroad-museumdepot.

"Texas & Pacific Depot." The Historical Marker Database. Accessed October 14, 2020. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=110873.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

All images via The Historical Marker Database

Additional Information