Family of A.D. Marshall tours City building named for him

Family of A.D. Marshall tours City building named for him

Published on October 09, 2025

On Monday, Oct. 6, the Fort Worth Municipal Court hosted some very special visitors: the family of the building's namesake, A.D. Marshall.

The building was renamed in 2007 for A.D. Marshall, one of the City's longest-tenured employees. He served as a Fort Worth police officer from 1952-1985 and then as a deputy marshal from 1985 until his retirement in 2005.

Along the way he earned the nickname "Knockfire," which those who knew him say belies the kind and caring man A. D. Marshall truly was.

Marshall would have celebrated his 96th birthday on Oct. 7, the day after his family visited the City building.

"It was an honor to host the family of A.D. Marshall and see the positive generational impact and joy his family has for his 53 years of public safety service to our community," said Court Director William F. Rumuly.

About the building

The A.D. Marshall Municipal Court Building was built in 1938 to replace the original City Hall, located on the corner of Throckmorton and Tenth streets. The cornerstone for the original limestone building was laid in 1892, and the cost of construction was $125,000. The Victorian building was demolished in 1938 to make room for the second city hall.

The old Fort Worth City Hall (later known as the Public Safety and Courts Building) was constructed by the Public Works Administration (PWA) in 1938.

More information on the building from Living New Deal.org:

"Fort Worth, like many other communities, utilized federal relief funds to upgrade its civic infrastructure during the Depression. In the case of the 1938 City Hall, the PWA provided approximately forty-five per cent of the $500,000 construction cost, and the balance was funded by a city bond issue. Construction began in December 1937.

The Classical or PWA Moderne building is four stories tall with a full basement and sub-basement. In the words of Walter A. Koons, regional counsel for the PWA who spoke at the dedication, it is "sturdy, unpretentious, yet impressive."

Photo at top: The A.D. Marshall family gathers in front of a commemorative plaque on the first floor of the A.D. Marshall Municipal Court Building. Left: Ricky and Annette Marshall with their granddaughter Landry Parker; middle: Matt and Elaine Marshall with their children Charlotte and Brock Marshall; right: Tiffany and Jimmy Marshall with their children Sadie and Armand Dale Marshall; far right: Jim and Rita Marshall. (Jim and Ricky are A.D.'s sons; Matt and Jimmy are Jim's sons; Ricky and Annette -- their daughter and son-in-law were not able to make it, but their granddaughter Landry is in the photo.)

Photo: A poster from A.D. Marshall's retirement ceremony in 2005.

Photo: Municipal Court staff and A.D. Marshall family in Courtroom No. 5.

Photo: Commemorative plaque on the ground floor of the building.

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