In 1927, when Illinois State Highway 37 was in the planning stages, it was recommended that the route pass through Marion on Court Street. However, as this article from the Daily Republican indicates, the more favorable route preferred by Marion citizens and the city council would have been South Market, straight through the heart of the downtown business district at the time. Fortunately for us, that never happened and Court Street was ultimately chosen and built in the early 1930’s. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: January 2014
Lay Corner Stone Sunday
Arrangements have been completed for the laying of the corner stone of St. Joseph’s Mission Church on West Boulevard Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. There will be a sermon in English and a sermon in Italian with leading Catholic clergymen from Southern Illinois present and assisting. Continue reading
Start Work on Catholic Church
Father Joseph A. Tragesser of West Frankfort, who is overseeing the work of building a Catholic chapel in Marion, announced that actual construction work started on Wednesday when the first ground was broken.
The chapel, which will be of frame construction 32 by 72 feet and costing nearly $5,000 will be built at once and it is hoped to have it ready for occupancy before snow flies. Continue reading
In January 1930, the Marion Elks Lodge #800 held a memorial service for Elks who had passed away since the club’s inception in 1902. The following list was published in the Marion Daily Republican as follows: Continue reading
No Buildings Empty on the Square as City, Businesses Invest Millions in Downtown Redevelopment
No vacancies.
That’s the way it is for business buildings on the public square in Marion.
And that’s the way it is despite the opening of a new shopping center in Marion.
Merchants have spent more than $1 million for improvements in the downtown area, according to Milt Witt, Executive Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce. Continue reading