Aikman, James M. 1856-1921, 501 S. Market St., Gallagher & Co.

Samuel Aikman and his wife were early arrivals in this county. In 1837, they brought with them nine children. Aikman was smart enough to invest himself in real estate, so he rode horse-back to the federal land office in Shawneetown, Illinois in 1840 and bought 640 acres at $1.25 per acre. The land he purchased started at the north-south bound railroad tracks that parallel Court Street and ran west to about where the Interstate is located. Because of his foresight and the ingenuity of several of his sons, the family did very well. Continue reading

500 S. Court St., Marion, Illinois

The land on which 500 S. Court Street now stands, was deeded to Samuel Aikman by the United States of America on February 11, 1839. This was part of a large land purchase of 640 acres at $1.25 an acre. That same year, the city of Marion as well as Williamson County was established. In the decades preceding the Civil War, Samuel sold the land to his son Thomas, who in turn, sold it to his brother William Aikman. Continue reading

1915, Old Landmark Moved Off The Library Site

Marion Carnegie Library in the 1920'sOld Land Mark Moved Off the Library Site

The last section of the Grandma Cline house on South Market Street was removed today leaving the lot vacant that has not been so in 60 years or more.

Isaac Campbell, grandfather of City Clerk Geo. C. Campbell, erected this dwelling in the summer of 1854 at a time when the number of houses all told in Marion did not exceed 50. Continue reading

306 E. College St., Historic Home Razed in 1941

The following article was printed in the Marion Daily Republican on September 15, 1941, and recounts the history of the home located at 306 E. College Street on the occasion of its demolition.

Historic House Being Razed

Two Story Landmark On East College Street Yields To Wrecking Crew

One of Marion’s oldest residences began yielding to a wrecking crew Monday morning when workmen began tearing down the Mrs. Kate Sutherland home at 306 East College Street. The house, built almost ninety years ago, is one of the oldest and most interesting in Marion’s history. Continue reading

1952 Bainbridge Square Photo

Bainbridge Square May 1952 Carl Sorgen photo small 2To the best of my knowledge, the Bainbridge addition was incorporated into the city of Marion in the post-World War II era of the 1940’s by Lawrence Bainbridge, grandson of J.B. Bainbridge, at roughly the same time period as the Midway Court area and after Elmwood Place which consists of First, Second, Third and Fourth Streets. The area is comprised of Bainbridge Road, Charlotte Road and Sherry Road.The streets of Charlotte and Sherry Road were named after his grandchildren Charlotte (Bainbridge) Cash, the daughter of Bill Bainbridge, his son and Sherry (Hudgens) Austin, the daughter of Winifred (Bainbridge) Hudgens, his daughter. Continue reading