The old county jail at 105 S. Van Buren Street in Marion was built in 1913 and served 16 sheriff’s terms and housed most of their families. When a new county jail was built and occupied in the early 1970’s the old jail was handed over to the Williamson County Historical Society for safe keeping. It has since been converted into a county museum and genealogical/historical research library. The following link will bring up a description of the museum with some photos. If you haven’t been to the museum, you should make it a point to take your family, most of the possessions on display came from old Williamson County pioneer families.
Tag Archives: Museum
Ethel Ashby was born on Sunday, March 7, 1920, at Creal Springs, Illinois, to Walter Tanner and Ethel Davenport. Her mother died the day Ethel was born. Due to a fear that the baby would also be lost, Belle and Roy McGowan, aunt and uncle of the child, volunteered to love and care for the little girl at their home in Carterville. Continue reading