Her 55 year old father, Henry, was working as a laborer at a railroad tie plant, which was likely the American Creosote Company on the south side of Marion on Rt. 37 where Short Brothers is now located. Continue reading
Category Archives: All Marion Content
In early 2014, the old Marion Armory building at Vicksburg and DeYoung is being remodeled for use as the new Marion Police Department. The armory itself was vacated many years ago, when the reserve unit built a new armory west of the city close to the county airport property. The following is a series of articles related to the old armory land and building. Continue reading
While Carbondale, West Frankfort and Other Towns Suffer Marion Has Ample Supply
Residents of Marion, who can reflect back twenty-three years ago can sympathize with Carbondale, West Frankfort and other Southern Illinois cities who are now suffering from a water shortage.
Twenty three years ago, during WW I, Marion was only able to have water for an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon. You had to fill your bathtubs and surplus pans with needed water for drinking and sanitation. Citizens were patrolling the streets to prevent the possibility of a fire breaking out, and the community was in constant fear that what water they had would evaporate before rains filled the deep wells from which our water was then obtained. Continue reading
The Egyptian Powder Company was a post turn of the century business that was the first known to manufacture explosives in Southern Illinois. It cranked out kegs of blasting powder for local and national mines, employed as many as 70 people, became part of the Olin empire and was a downright dangerous place to work.
Though at this point in time, the original owners of the Egyptian Powder Company are unknown, it is known that the company started producing blasting powder for coal mine operation in 1904. An article found in the March 12th, 1904, Carbondale Free Press stated, “The first shipment of powder from the Egyptian Powder Company was made Thursday. This is probably the first powder ever shipped from Southern Illinois. It consisted of 200 kegs. The plant from which it was shipped is situated midway between Marion and Carterville.” Continue reading
Clyde Owen Maynard, one of the original Marion Park District Commissioners in 1957 and an active civic leader, was born April 18, 1912, in Herrin to Otis A. Maynard (1882-1926) and Nellie Williams (1887-xxxx).
The 1920 federal census found 7 year old Clyde in his parents’ home at 1004 S. 13th Street in Herrin, Illinois, which they owned free of mortgage. His parents were aged 36 and 32 respectively and his father was working as a mine boss. Siblings of Clyde living in the home were Ruth 14, Leonard 13, Paul 11 and Marvin age 4. Continue reading