The following compilation consists of three articles describing Homer Butler and lastly, his obituary. Two articles were large, front page stories that were issued on the day of Homer’s death. The last article was composed by Pearl Roberts and printed in the 1989 Williamson County Sesquicentennial book commemorating the people, places and events of the county. Continue reading
Category Archives: Chamber of Commerce
A story that began in 1976 has come full circle and resulted in a new Marion City Flag flying over the Tower Square.
In 1976, Mary Lou Roberts won a contest sponsored by the Marion Chamber of Commerce to design a flag for the City of Marion. Her design, with the addition of a sketch of the clock tower done by Pauline Stearns, became the official flag for the city. Continue reading
Butler Says Better Water System Needed in Obtaining New Industry, May 8, 1963, MDR
Mayor Robert Butler, guest of the Marion Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors meeting Tuesday, said he did not seek city office to preside over the demise of Marion. Continue reading
From well before the turn of the century, coal became king in Southern Illinois and reshaped the economies and landscape of many counties, Williamson County among them. Coal mining has always been part and parcel of the lives and livelihoods of most of the citizenry of this county and back in the day if you didn’t work for the coal mines you assuredly knew someone who did. Continue reading
Charles Weston Hay was born August 3, 1873 in Carbondale where his parents lived on land that had been formerly owned by his great grandfather, William Morrison. Mr. Hay retained this land until Southern Illinois University instituted condemnation proceedings against the land. The “Stone House” was built over the foundation of his birthplace, and the rest of the land became the University Farms. Continue reading
