When the heat wave of July 1980 was still in force, this article appeared in the Marion Daily Republican notating previous heat waves in the area’s past.
Mercury Hit 115 in 1901
While the present heat wave in Southern Illinois has some aspects that put it into the running as the worst ever, it has not yet topped the record for the hottest day. That distinction, according to old files of the Daily Republican, goes to a day in July, 1901 when the official reading at a weather station in Centralia was 115 degrees.
A temperature of 112 was registered July 28, 1930 at Carbondale and Harrisburg. On that same day, in Marion, temperature readings as high as 110 degrees were reported unofficially.
C.S. Avery, manager of the Western United Gas & Electric Co., left a thermometer in the sun on a fender of his automobile, and watched the mercury climb to 143 degrees.
The temperature in the mail distribution room of the Marion Post Office on that hot day in July 1930 was 105 degrees, and office employees reported few people were writing letters, judging from the few who visited the post office to deposit mail.
A thermometer in the office of the Daily Republican registered 106 degrees.
The Rev. Clyde Bailey who was conducting a revival meeting in a tent on West College Street announced a special prayer for rain.
In 1934 the temperature reached 104 in July.
In 1952, the mercury stood above the 90 degree mark 27 days in June. On 16 days that month the temperature was 95 or above and on two days ti was more than 10. It was also above 100 on July 1 and 2, and rose to 104 July 30.
A reading of 106 was recorded July 11, 1908.
(Marion Daily Republican, July 19, 1980)