Mark In Texas History: East Texas Baptist University

MARSHALL, Texas (KLTV) - East Texas Baptist University started in 1912 when the pastor of First Baptist Church in Marshall was granted support for a Baptist college.

The College of Marshall started on 100 acres with donations and fundraisers paying for educational buildings on campus.

An educational facility with a gym, labs, library, offices and classrooms was completed in 1916. By 1918, 300 students were enrolled. By the 1920s, dorms surrounded the campus.

The college was booming by the time World War II ended. The school changed its name to East Texas Baptist College and began offering bachelor’s degrees. It switched to its current name in 1984.