About Marion
A brief description of its past and present
Reprinted from the Record of Sept. 28, 1883
’Mid a perfect bower of beauty, of towering trees and shapely shrubbery, near meandering streams and ‘midst charming landscapes, nestles the lovely town bearing the beautiful name of Marion.
Here, 1,200 prosperous people find happy homes and to their number are rapidly receiving additions.
Twenty-three years ago, the first white settlers entered into fierce controversy upon this soil with wild boasts and wilder men.
That controversy was a practical one, but as in all its subsequent contests, Marion came out ahead.
Yet not until the advent of (horse-drawn) cars, four years ago, did the town really begin to grow.
Marion is situated near the center of Marion County, at the confluence of Cottonwood River and Muddy Creek, the business portion of the town being located in the valley on the west of the last-named stream and the larger part of the residences on the high land east of the same.
Marion is the county seat of the county, and though its claim to this distinction was long disputed, it was finally settled in favor of this place by 416 majority at a popular election held in 1881, and this decision was immediately followed by a similar vote in favor of completing the courthouse at a cost of $5,000.
This fortunate settlement of a vexed question gave an impetus to the growth of the town, as may well be imagined.
Marion is a live town. The trade center of a large tributary territory, it enjoys a healthy business, and as its vast surrounding county is even yet sparsely settled, comparatively, though yet in advance of the town, its prospects for future growth rest upon no doubtful basis.
The town is bound to grow.
We have here a partial supply at least of most of the “necessaries” of town life.
Excellent schools educate our children; three newspapers give tone and respectability to the place, and three regular pastors look after the spiritual needs of their flocks.
Five physicians “settle” our stomachs, and eight lawyers settle our disputes.
Two bakeries furnish us bread, and two fine mills (a third will soon be added) furnish the flour.
Then we have two grain firms, one photographer, two blacksmith shops, three millinery stores, two meat markets, one jewelry store, four restaurants, two livery stables, one exclusive boot and shoe store, one exclusive dry goods and furnishing store, two harness shops, three banks, three shoemaker shops, one steam sash-and-door factory, three hotels, one marble yard, three drug stores, two hardware store, two billiard halls, three grocery and provision stores, six general merchandise establishments, two furniture and undertaking houses, two lumber yards, one gasoline stove and oil dealer, one sewing machine agent, one book store, two confectionery stores, two dental rooms, two paint shops, three coal dealers, two dray lines, one flour and feed store, two barber shops, three boarding houses, one hay dealer, three ice dealers, three firms of real estate agents, and contractors and mechanics in great profusion.
We have two of the prettiest natural parks in the state, one right in the heart of the town and the other just outside the limits. We have an excellent system of sidewalks and generally good, dry streets.
Marion has the handsomest array of masculine beauty, the prettiest women, and the sweetest girls in the county. And it has no dudes nor dudesses.
This, in brief, is Marion.
Eastern reader, come and see it for yourself, and when you come, make headquarters at the Record office.