A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from March 20, 2008
Pottery Capital of the World (Marshall nickname)

The city of Marshall has several pottery stores and has called itself “Pottery Capital of the World” (or “Pottery Capital of Texas” or “Terra Cotta Capital of the World”) since at least the early 2000s. East Texas has large clay deposits; in 1895, a business that is now called Marshall Pottery (the largest manufacturer or red clay pots in the United States) began.
   
“Pottery Capital of Texas” is not an “official capital designation” that has been made by the Texas legislature.
     
   
Wikipedia: Marshall, Texas
Marshall is a city of the northeastern region of the U.S. state of Texas. It is a major cultural and educational center in East Texas, and the multi-state Ark-La-Tex region. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the population of Marshall was 23,935. It is the county seat of Harrison County.
   
The city was a political and production center of the Confederacy during the Civil War, and was a major railroad center of the T&P Railroad from the late 19th century until the mid-20th century. The city’s large African American population and the presence of black institutions of higher learning made Marshall a center of the civil rights movement in the South. The city is known for holding one of the largest light festivals in the United States, the Wonderland of Lights, and, as the self-proclaimed Pottery Capital of the World, for its sizable pottery industry.
 
Marshall is also referred to by various nicknames; the Cultural Capital of East Texas, the Gateway of Texas, the Athens of Texas, and the City of Seven Flags.
 
Amazon.com
MARSHALL Pottery Capital of the World T-shirt
Other products by SHOPZEUS
 
Visit Marshall “A Texas Treasure”
Potteries
Blessed with enormous clay deposits, Marshall and Harrison County are a haven for potters and potteries. From small operations to Marshall Pottery, America’s largest manufacturer of red clay pots, you can find every description of pot and find them in great quantities. Many of the manufacturers offer retail shopping and other gift items, making the pottery a great shopping destination. You can watch potters at their wheels turning pots or have a special floral arrangement made.
 
White clay pots are also a local specialty, with many businesses offering both unpainted and decorated pots in all sizes. These pots are prized by many decorating firms. Among the potteries are Marshall Pottery, Pottery Tent, East Texas Pottery, Christian Enterprises, American Pottery & Mercantile, Casey Pottery, Clay Concepts, Grubb Pottery, Martin Pottery and Shakers & Thangs.
 
Welcome to Marshall TX USA
Marshall Pottery Shop
Address   4901 Elysian Fields Rd
Marshall, TX 75670
Phone   (903) 938-9201, Ext. 32
Open hours   Mon - Sat 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sun 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Website   http://www.marshallpotterystore.com/
Email   .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
 
Welcome to Marshall Pottery. We are located in the heart of the piney woods of East Texas in the historic town of Marshall. Being the largest manufacturer of terra cotta pots in the United States, that is how so many think of as at Marshall Pottery - BUT we are a whole lot more. Artisans have turned the clay of East Texas for over one hundred years making beautiful, functional stoneware pottery. Each piece is truly a work of art. Master Potters and Cobalt artist transform lumps of clay into wonderfully designed pieces of heirloom quality stoneware. Our 100,000 square foot store is home to over 40 different departments.
 
Marshall Pottery specializes in hand turned pottery straight from the potter’s wheel. Our skilled artisans have been producing these hand thrown pots for decades and have passed down their craft from generations past. Now you can personalize our stoneware such as Mugs, Plates, Pitchers or Coolers with custom lettering with your name or event.
 
Marshall Pottery: About Us
In 1895 W. F. Rocker, from Kentucky, came to the East Texas town of Marshall and founded the Marshall Pottery Works. The reason he was attracted to Marshall was due to the abundance of the two natural ingredients his business needed—white clay and water. Through a series of ownerships, the pottery finally fell into the hands of Sam Ellis around 1905. The story is told that Mr. Ellis, who was a blacksmith by trade, would walk by the Pottery everyday on his way to and from work. He ended up loaning the owner at that time, a Mr. Studer, $375.55 to build a new kiln. Not long after, Mr. Ellis found a note under a rock at the pottery stating, “I have this day sold to S.H. Ellis the Marshall Pottery Works, consisting of tools, clay, manufacturing ware, one wagon, two mules…”
(...)
Today
Marshall Pottery still maintains a strong presence in the pottery manufacturing arena today. With the construction of a new fully automated terra cotta manufacturing facility in 1998 promoted by Deroma Group, Marshall Pottery remains the largest manufacturer of red clay pots in the United States. 
   
26 December 2004, Marshall (TX) News Messenger:
... that the city was considered the pottery capital of Texas, if not the United States.
 
26 March 2006, Marshall (TX) News Messenger:
While Marshall once touted itself as “The Pottery Capital of the World,” what drew Ms. Lambers here was mere coincidence
 
New York (NY) Times
So Small a Town, So Many Patent Suits
By JULIE CRESWELL
Published: September 24, 2006
(...)
What was remarkable about the trial was not the issue being tried or the arguments proffered by each side, but that these big companies — like dozens more from the East and West Coasts — wound up in the Federal District Court here in Marshall, the self-proclaimed Pottery Capital of the World and home to the annual Fire Ant Festival (sponsored by Terminix, the pest-control company).

Posted by Barry Popik
Texas (Lone Star State Dictionary) • Thursday, March 20, 2008 • Permalink


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