During the gloomy years of the Depression, old timers in Marion, Illinois predicted that the city was a “goner” and would soon become a ghost town. They were strengthened by the fact that over 400 homes were torn down.

In the early 1930’s when the Depression was at its height there were over one thousand empty dwelling houses in Marion, Illinois. The city’s two financial institutions, the First National Bank and the Marion State and Savings Bank joined with the three building and loan associations, the Marion Building and Loan, Williamson County Building and Loan and the Coal Belt Building and Loan, in pooling their repossessed residential properties.

They formed a rental agency, and named a group of men to pick out the least desirable houses to remove. Over 400 of these houses were actually torn down. Many were removed by sectionalizing them and transporting them to other towns.

Some were taken as far away as Sikeston and Carmi. Others were taken to farms in Williamson County and the Pyramid Coal Company purchased several and moved them to their coal mines for company houses. Frank Craig, Frank Doty, Phil Swan, Roy Hudgens and the Sullins Boys, all expert carpenters and builders were engaged in sectionalizing the houses and removing them.

Many houses that were removed sold for as little as $15 each. The average five room house sold for around $150 each.

The building of homes in Marion reached a standstill until the late 1930’s, and 1936, marked the last year of the building decline. A few new homes started up in 1937, but building was still slow and scattered.

(Extracted from a Marion Daily Republican article by Paul Frick, 10/29/1955)