Marion Illinois History Preservation

2014, Polar Vortex Causes Big Chill

Posted on January 10, 2014 by wcihsJanuary 10, 2014

A rare weather condition described by the National Weather Service as a “polar vortex” or a large swirling mass of arctic air dropped into the United States causing record low temperatures in early January 2014 across the country.

Southern Illinois, depending on where you lived, received anywhere from very little to several inches of snow followed by subzero temperatures that was part of “one of the coldest air masses in years” to blanket the region, according to the National Weather Service. Continue reading →

1973, The Murder of Martha Damico

Posted on January 10, 2014 by wcihsJanuary 11, 2014

Marion was in disbelief on February 19^th, 1973, when Mary Ann Damico came home from school and found her 50 year old paraplegic mother, Martha Damico, senselessly murdered in their home at 825 Morgan Drive. Martha, who was confined to a wheel chair, had been murdered that morning shortly after her daughter left for school by Cynthia “Cindy” Barnes, 17, whose mother lived not far away at 840 Morgan Drive. Continue reading →

Morrison, Eugene W. 1904-1985

Posted on January 9, 2014 by wcihsJanuary 9, 2014

Eugene Wilmer Morrison was born May 27, 1904 in a house in Marion on west Main Street located in the block across the street from the C&EI railroad station and about a block east of there. He was the son of Frank E. Morrison and Classena Wilmer.

When he was real small they moved to 701 N. Van Buren St. on the southwest corner of N. Van Buren and Boulevard. He lived there until the summer of 1921 when he was 17 years old and they then bought the house at 515 S. Market St. Continue reading →

1899, Marion City Election

Posted on January 9, 2014 by wcihsSeptember 9, 2023

The City Election

During a Day of Quiet and Peace Temperance People Score a Victory

The contesting forces, saloon and anti-saloon, met and measured swords in this city Tuesday. The contest was exceedingly quiet and fell short the full vote, considerable, but resulted in a victory for the temperance ticket. The result was a surprise in more ways than one; however, many will say, “I told you so.”

For some time past the saloon party has been in power and well-fortified, but owing to the open violation of the law and conduct exceedingly bad Continue reading →

1927, Council Favors S. Market as Route for Highway 37

Posted on January 8, 2014 by wcihsJanuary 8, 2014

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 →