The group, on a number of occasions, pointed out that the county’s 100th Anniversary was quickly approaching and the call finally took root. After another organization called “The Pioneer Sons of Williamson County” was formed, a joint meeting was held at the Marion Carnegie Library on November 28, 1938 to discuss the planning of a countywide celebration.
A joint committee was formed called the Williamson County Centennial Committee which was changed the following year on April 17, 1939 to The Williamson County Centennial Association and was incorporated as such. The incorporation was to handle an event planned for August 26 through September 1, 1939 in a joint celebration with the Williamson County Fair.
It should be noted that after the celebration on September 29, 1939, both original clubs decided to extend the working relationship formed with the Centennial Association and continue on as a joint organization called “The Williamson County Historical Society” which still exists today.
In preparation for the event, the Pioneer Daughters oversaw the reconstruction of an authentic pioneer log cabin located at the Williamson County Fair Ground. Many of the parts to construct the cabin were from actual homes in the county. The cabin remained in this location near the exhibition hall until it was destroyed by a fire around 1956.
The centennial program opened with a centennial ball at White City Park in Herrin and selection of the centennial queen August 26th. Miss Olga Richardson of Carterville was named queen. Miss Jessie Gray served as Miss Marion.
Centennial Church Day was observed in all churches of the county on August 27th with a special program in the grandstand of the fair ground in the afternoon.
Patriotic Day was August 30th down Main Street in Marion with a parade of patriotic organizations in the morning and a section made up of floats depicting pioneer days and covered wagons. The parade formed up on N. Market Street at the Illinois Central Depot and went around the square, down E. Main Street, into the fair ground and around the track passing the judges stand in front of the grandstands. A crowd of 40,000 people jammed the streets of Marion to view the parade and brought business to a standstill, J. Milton Norman served as Parade Marshal.
Homecoming Day was August 31st when the whisker-growing contest in which several hundred men of Williamson County had competed was closed. Joe Adams of Marion and owner of the Adams Cab Company on N. Market St. was the winner. The centennial queen was crowned at the afternoon program.
A special centennial school program was enacted for the final day, September 1st.
To raise funds for the centennial the two organizations sold “pioneer belles,” dinner bells dressed as pioneer dolls, log cabin and covered wagon scarf pins and wooden money that were redeemed September 2nd.
The wooden money was issued in one, two and five “wooden nickel” denominations and profit from the unredeemed “wampum” was used for expenses. After the event had concluded, a profit of over $700 was reported.
Officers of Williamson County Centennial Association, Inc.
| Fred G. Harrison | Herrin | President |
| Mary Elizabeth Vick | Marion | Secretary |
| Estelle Burnett Colp | Marion | Chairman, Executive Committee |
Executive Committee
| Estelle Burnett Colp |
| Fred G. Harrison |
| Nannie Gray Parks |
| L. A. Sanders |
| Mary Elizabeth Vick |
| Harris W. Jones |
| Louanne Ford Baker |
| Ed M. Stotlar |
| Jennie Hendrickson Hentz |
| Harold L. Zimmerman |
Committee Chairmen
| J. W. Hayton | Carterville | Promotion and Publicity |
| Gordon Franklin | Marion | Finance |
| Rev. J. W. McKinney | Marion | Church Day |
| L. A. Sanders | Marion | Patriotic Day |
| Ed M. Stotlar | Marion | Homecoming Day |
| Robert E. McKinney | Herrin | School Day |
| Clyde Brewster | Herrin | Centennial Ball |
| Alex Peak | Herrin | Centennial Queen |
| Nannie Gray Parks | Marion | Museum and Exhibits |
| Bertha Neely Otey | Marion | Secretary, Museum & Exhibits |
| Lester Jones | Johnston City | Souvenir Coin |
| Ray Miller | Marion | Membership |
| Ray Travelstead | Marion | Parade |
| J. Milton Norman | Marion | Marshal of Parade |
| Ira Norman | Marion | Whiskers Contest |
Officers of Pioneer Sons of Williamson County
| Fred G. Harrison | Herrin | President |
| Ed M. Stotlar | Marion | 1st Vice President |
| Ray Miller | Marion | 2nd Vice President |
| R.W. Jones | Johnston City | 3rd Vice President |
| J.W. Hayton | Carterville | 4th Vice President |
| Rev. J.W. McKinney | Marion | Historian |
| L.A. Sander | Marion | Secretary |
| John B. Morray | Creal Springs | Treasurer |
Officers of Pioneer Daughters of Williamson County
| Estelle Burnett Colp | Marion | President |
| Laura Crain Colp | Herrin | 1st Vice President |
| Lucille Vick Howell | Herrin | 2nd Vice President |
| Grace Davis Vick | Marion | 3rd Vice President |
| Lucille Hunter Norman | Marion | 4th Vice President |
| Nannie Gray Parks | Marion | Historian |
| Jennie Hendrickson Hentz | Marion | Treasurer |
| Ruth Mercer Wallace | Marion | Recording Secretary |
| Laura B. Skaggs | Marion | Corresponding Secretary |
| Stella Perry Elles | Herrin | Parliamentarian |