Marion, IL
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The city of Marion is the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of
Williamson County, Illinois Williamson County is a county in Southern Illinois. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 67,153. The largest city and county seat is Marion. Williamson County is included in the Carbondale-Marion, IL Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thi ...
, United States. The population in Marion, IL was 16,855 according to the 2020 census. It is part of a dispersed urban area that developed out of early 20th-century coal fields. Marion serves as the largest retail trade center in
Southern Illinois Southern Illinois is a region of the U.S. state of Illinois comprising the southern third of the state, principally south of Interstate 70. Part of downstate Illinois, it is bordered by the two List of U.S. rivers by discharge, most voluminous ri ...
with its central location along
Interstate 57 Interstate 57 (I-57) is a north–south Interstate Highway that exists in two segments. It runs through Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois. I-57 parallels the old Illinois Central Railroad for much of its route north of Interstate 55, I-55. T ...
and
Illinois Route 13 Illinois Route 13 (IL 13) is a major east–west state route in southern Illinois. Illinois 13 has its western terminus at Cahokia Heights at Illinois Route 157 and its eastern terminus at the Kentucky state line and the Ohio River, at Ken ...
. It was dubbed the "Hub of the Universe" by former mayor Robert L. Butler. Its motto under Mayor Mike Absher is the "Oasis of Opportunity". The city is part of the Marion-Herrin Micropolitan Area and is a part of the Carbondale-Marion- Herrin, Illinois Combined Statistical Area with 123,272 residents, the sixth most populous Combined statistical area in Illinois.


History


Indigenous

Indigenous nations that have been in this region for a very long time include: * 𐓏𐒰𐓓𐒰𐓓𐒷 𐒼𐓂𐓊𐒻 𐓆𐒻𐒿𐒷 𐓀𐒰^𐓓𐒰^( Osage) *
Kaskaskia The Kaskaskia were a historical Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands. They were one of about a dozen cognate tribes that made up the Illiniwek Confederation, also called the Illinois Confederation. Their longstanding homeland was in ...
* Myaamia * Očhéthi Šakówiŋ * Kiikaapoi (
Kickapoo The Kickapoo people (; Kickapoo: Kiikaapoa or Kiikaapoi; ) are an Algonquian-speaking Native American tribe and Indigenous people in Mexico, originating in the region south of the Great Lakes. There are three federally recognized Kickapoo trib ...
)


Settlement

Following the creation of Williamson County out of the south half of Franklin County by the Illinois General Assembly, three commissioners appointed by the colonial lawmakers met at Bainbridge, Illinois, on August 19, 1839, for the purpose of locating a new county seat as close to the center of the county as possible. The next day, August 20, they laid out a town of with a public square about one-quarter of a mile east of the county's center, but a point on top of a slight hill of above sea level. The site sat in a small open grassland known as Poor Prairie. For a name, they chose Marion to honor
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
hero Gen. Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion. William and Bethany Benson had entered the quarter-quarter section of land that contained the future site of Marion just the previous year on September 8, 1838. He had lived in the county at least since 1817, and was the first settler to enter land in Poor Prairie. At the time the commissioners platted Marion, he had a small crop of corn and wheat growing over what became the public square. The Williamson County Court organized in Marion on October 7, 1839, at the Benson log cabin. Overflow crowds had to use pumpkins for stools. The federal government established a post office at Marion on January 30, 1840, and the legislature incorporated the community as a city on February 24, 1841.


Tornadoes

On May 29, 1982, one of the larger tornadoes in Illinois history, rated F4, hit the city of Marion and Williamson County. Ten people died and 181 people were injured after this
tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with the surface of Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, although the ...
ripped across a stretch. The Shawnee Village apartment complex was destroyed, and the Marion Ford-Mercury dealership sustained heavy damage. This tornado caused between $85 million and $100 million in damages. A memorial to the ten people who perished that day was later erected on the south side of Tower Square Plaza. An EF4 tornado struck to the south of Marion on May 16, 2025 with wind speeds reaching . The tornado caused seven injuries but no fatalities. This tornado prompted a
tornado emergency A tornado emergency is an enhanced version of a tornado warning, which is used by the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States during imminent, significant tornado occurrences. Although it is not a new warning type from the NWS, issue ...
.


Geography

Marion is in central Williamson County, with a narrow strip of city limits extending south beyond Creal Springs to the valley of Sugar Creek in Johnson County. Marion is south of
Mount Vernon, Illinois Mount Vernon is a city in Jefferson County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. The population was 14,600 at the 2020 census. Mount Vernon is the principal city of the Mount Vernon, Illinois micropolitan area, which includes all of ...
, and north of
Paducah, Kentucky Paducah ( ) is a List of cities in Kentucky, home rule-class city in the Upland South, and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. The most populous city in the Jackson Purchase region, it is located in the Southeastern Unit ...
. Carbondale is to the west, and
Harrisburg Harrisburg ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat, seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50, ...
is to the east. According to the 2010 census, Marion has a total area of , of which (or 98.6%) is land and (or 1.4%) is water.


Demographics

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of July 1, 2022, there were 16,729 people, and 8,028 households residing in the city. The population density was 1,171.1 per square mile in 2020. There were 7,555 housing units at an average density of . Owner-occupied housing rate is 62.0%. Median value of owner-occupied housing is $143,600, and median gross rent is $823 per month. The racial makeup of the city was 86.0%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 4.9%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.1% Native American, 2.8% Asian, 0.00%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, and 5.41% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 2.9% of the population. There were 8,028 households, out of which 21.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05. The median household income in the Marion city, IL is $54,052 and the median house value is $143,600. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $36,935. About 15.0% of the population were living below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
. The region has a civilian labor force of 7,866 with a participation rate of 57.8%. Of individuals 25 to 64 in the Marion city, IL, 30.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher. As of 2023Q4, total employment for the Marion city, IL was 18,253 (based on a four-quarter moving average). Over the year ending 2023Q4, employment increased 2.1% in the region. As of 2022, Marion has a Veteran population of 1,544 persons. The Cost of Living Index estimates the relative price levels for consumer goods and services. When applied to wages and salaries, the result is a measure of relative purchasing power.  The cost of living is 8.0% lower in Marion city, IL than the U.S. average. The largest sector in the Marion city, IL is Health Care and Social Assistance, employing 4,015 workers. The next-largest sectors in the region are Accommodation and Food Services (2,364 workers) and Retail Trade (2,134). High location quotients (LQs) indicate sectors in which a region has high concentrations of employment compared to the national average. The sectors with the largest LQs in the region are Finance and Insurance (LQ = 2.33), Health Care and Social Assistance (1.50), and Accommodation and Food Services (1.49). Sectors in the Marion city, IL with the highest average wages per worker are Utilities ($125,515), Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction ($73,866), and Health Care and Social Assistance ($65,918). Regional sectors with the best job growth (or most moderate job losses) over the last 5 years are Health Care and Social Assistance (+491 jobs), Accommodation and Food Services (+307), and Finance and Insurance (+194). The fastest growing sector in the region is expected to be Transportation and Warehousing with a +0.5% year-over-year rate of growth. The strongest forecast by number of jobs over this period is expected for Health Care and Social Assistance (+16 jobs), Transportation and Warehousing (+3), and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (0). The largest major occupation group in the Marion city, IL is Office and Administrative Support Occupations, employing 2,191 workers. The next-largest occupation groups in the region are Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations (1,932 workers) and Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations (1,822). High location quotients (LQs) indicate occupation groups in which a region has high concentrations of employment compared to the national average. The major groups with the largest LQs in the region are Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations (LQ = 1.70), Healthcare Support Occupations (1.40), and Protective Service Occupations (1.37). Occupation groups in the Marion city, IL with the highest average wages per worker are Management Occupations ($104,900), Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations ($101,500), and Legal Occupations ($92,100). The unemployment rate in the region varied among the major groups from 1.2% among Legal Occupations to 6.9% among Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Over the next 1 year, the fastest growing occupation group in the Marion city, IL is expected to be Healthcare Support Occupations with a +0.9% year-over-year rate of growth. The strongest forecast by number of jobs over this period is expected for Healthcare Support Occupations (+11 jobs) and Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations (+5). Over the same period, the highest separation demand (occupation demand due to retirements and workers moving from one occupation to another) is expected in Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations (361 jobs) and Office and Administrative Support Occupations (244).
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Major employers

As of March 30, 2009, the largest employers located inside the city limits were as follows: *
Aisin is a Japanese corporation that develops and produces components and systems for the automotive industry. Aisin is a Fortune Global 500 company, ranked 359 rankings. Aisin is a member of the Toyota Group of companies. Aisin was founded in 1965 ...
Mfg., three auto parts plants first established in 2002 employing 1820 employees. * Pepsi / MidAmerica, soft drinks in operation since 1935 employing 600 workers. * Heartland Regional Medical Center, formerly Marion Memorial Hospital first established in 1953, employing 600 employees. * VA Medical Center, established in 1942, employs 1500 workers. * Blue Cross/Blue Shield claims processing center established in 1983 employing 350 employees. Other major nearby employers include: * John A. Logan College in Carterville, established in 1967, employing 850 workers. * Herrin Hospital in Herrin, established in 1913, employs 450 employees. * U.S. Dept. of Justice / Bureau of Prisons employs 342 workers at
United States Penitentiary, Marion The United States Penitentiary, Marion (USP Marion) is a large medium-security United States federal prison for male inmates in Southern Precinct, unincorporated Williamson County, Illinois. It is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a ...
southwest of the city. * Southern Illinois Power Coop just south of Marion employing 120 at its Lake of Egypt power plant. Established in 1963.


Arts and culture

Downtown Marion is home to the Little Egypt Arts Gallery operated by the Little Egypt Arts Association as well as the Williamson County Historical Society museum and the Marion Carnegie Library. The major arts and culture institution though is the Marion Cultural and Civic Center.


Marion Cultural and Civic Center

In 2004, the Marion Civic Center was awarded the Frank Lloyd Wright Award - Special Recognition from the American Institute of Architects, Illinois Chapter, at the organization's annual ceremony. The facility, designed by White and Borgognoni Architects, was completed in June 2004. After a 1997 fire destroyed the city's former civic center, the new facility was crafted using parts of the old Orpheum Theater building. The grand opening of the Orpheum Theatre was on January 2, 1922. Built in the southwest corner of the downtown square, she was the flagship of a chain of vaudeville and moving picture theaters constructed to tap into the wealth generated by agriculture and mining in Southern Illinois. The Orpheum Theatre sat over 900, and was ornately decorated in a mix of Renaissance and Neoclassical styles, complete with gold leaf, elaborate plasterwork, and a multicolored terra-cotta facade. The Orpheum was quite successful until the advent of television. Decreasing profits forced the Orpheum to exclusively be a motion picture theater in the mid-1950s and to close in 1971. The City of Marion purchased the building in 1973 with the intent of constructing a parking lot. The mayor and the city council reconsidered their plan when they found that their citizenry was in favor of restoring the old theater for use by the community as a cultural and entertainment center. During the early morning hours, of March 10, 1997, a blaze quickly raced through the Civic Center, and totally gutted the theater, leaving it a smoldering shell after the blaze was put out. The facade of the Orpheum was salvaged, but the remainder of the theater was razed, and in 2000, it was decided that a new Cultural and Civic Center would be built on the site of the old Orpheum and a couple of other demolished neighboring structures.


Sister city

Marion became a sister city to
Kanie is a List of towns in Japan, town located in Ama District, Aichi, Ama District, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 37,082 in 16,647 households, and a population density of 3,344 persons per km2. The total area of ...
, Japan, on March 26, 2010.


Tourism

Tourism promotion and marketing in Marion is conducted at the county level with a county bed tax of five percent. Forty percent of that amount goes to the Williamson County Tourism Bureau and the remaining 60 percent to the Williamson County Events Commission for debt service on the bonds used to build the Williamson County Pavilion, a multi-use meeting and convention center immediately north of the Illinois Centre Mall in Marion. That building also houses the tourism bureau. Camping facilities in the city include the new Marion Campground & RV Park, located off of Exit 53 on the east side of the interstate. Major attractions that draw visitors to Marion include events at Marion Stadium (Mt Dew Park), events at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, The Southern Illinois Roller Girls bouts at The Pavilion Events, approximately two dozen wineries within a radius of the city including those on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail and the Southern Illinois Wine Trail, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge adjacent to the city, Lake of Egypt immediately to the south and the
Shawnee National Forest The Shawnee National Forest is a United States National Forest located in the Ozark and Shawnee Hills of Southern Illinois, United States. Administered by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, it consists of approximately 498,615 acres (2,100 km²) ...
and various state parks that stretch along the Shawnee Hills from river to river.


Sports


Government

Marion's city government is led by Mayor Mike Absher who assumed office on April 22, 2019, after defeating Incumbent Anthony Rinella who was appointed after longtime mayor Robert L. Butler resigned. The city operates on a
city commission City commission government is a form of local government in the United States. In a city commission government, voters elect a small commission, typically of five to seven members, typically on a plurality-at-large voting basis. These commissio ...
system of government with the mayor and four city commissioners, each elected for four-year terms. The council calendar calls for meetings on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month at City Hall. The city is also a
home rule Home rule is the government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governan ...
community, a status that gives the council greater flexibility to act than a typical city commission form of government. The Marion Park District is independent of city government. It operates the parks system under a separately elected five-member board. The library board though is appointed by the mayor and city council.


Media

''The Marion Star'' and ''
The Daily Republican ''The Daily Republican'' is an American daily newspaper published Mondays through Fridays in Marion, Illinois. In 1987, the paper was acquired by Hollinger. Former owner GateHouse Media GateHouse Media Inc. was an American publisher of local ...
'' are newspapers based in Marion. Local radio stations are WGGH-FM and WGGH-AM, along with a local Christian Contemporary Station.
WTCT WTCT (channel 27) is a religious television station licensed to Marion, Illinois, United States, serving the Paducah– Cape Girardeau–Harrisburg television market as the flagship station of the locally based Tri-State Christian Television (T ...
TV (channel 27) is based in Marion.


Education

Marion Community Unit School District 2 operates public schools, including Marion High School.


Infrastructure


Transportation


Air service

Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois , also known as Williamson County Regional Airport, is five miles west of Marion, in Williamson County, Illinois, United States. The airport is owned by the Williamson County Airport Authority. It sees one ...
, formerly Williamson County Regional Airport, serves the area and is located at the extreme western edge of the city.
Contour Airlines Contour Airlines is an independent regional airline headquartered at Smyrna Airport in Smyrna, Tennessee, United States. Contour Airlines is set up as a public charter operator for regulatory purposes and does not directly operate aircraft. Co ...
provides daily passenger flights to
O'Hare International Airport Chicago O'Hare International Airport is the primary international airport serving Chicago, Illinois, United States, located on the city's Northwest Side, approximately northwest of the Chicago Loop, Loop business district. The airport is ope ...
in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
.


Rail service

Both the
Union Pacific The Union Pacific Railroad is a Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United States after BNSF, ...
and
Burlington Northern The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States–based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1995. Its historical lineage begins in the earliest days of railroad ...
railroads have lines running through the city. Local service from those lines is provided by the
Crab Orchard and Egyptian Railroad The Crab Orchard and Egyptian Railway (formerly American Rail Heritage, Ltd. d/b/a Crab Orchard, and Egyptian Railroad Company) is a Class III common carrier shortline railroad that operates in the cities of Marion and Herrin in the Southern Il ...
headquartered in Marion.
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
passenger rail service is available at Carbondale, west of Marion.


Bus service

Rides Mass Transit District Rides Mass Transit District (RMTD) is a provider of mass transportation in Southern Illinois, primarily serving Harrisburg, Marion, Robinson and Olney. Local fixed-route transit service is provided in these three communities, while additional de ...
operates fixed-route and demand-response transit services in Marion and
Southern Illinois Southern Illinois is a region of the U.S. state of Illinois comprising the southern third of the state, principally south of Interstate 70. Part of downstate Illinois, it is bordered by the two List of U.S. rivers by discharge, most voluminous ri ...
. The Bill Jung Transfer Center serves as the primary location for bus services and serves
South Central Transit South Central Illinois Mass Transit District is a provider of mass transportation in Clinton, Franklin, Jefferson, Marion, Perry and Washington counties in Illinois, with deviated fixed-routes serving numerous cities, as well as demand-re ...
.
Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. is an American operator of Intercity bus service, intercity bus services. Greyhound operates the largest intercity bus network in the United States, and also operates charter and Amtrak Thruway services, as well as interci ...
buses are no longer based out of Marion, Illinois. The nearest terminal is Carbondale.


Notable people

* Conrad Keene Allen, exploration geologist * Willis Allen, Illinois attorney, senator, and representative; lived in Marion *
Cory Bailey Phillip Cory Bailey (born January 24, 1971) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball between and . He batted and threw right-handed. Biography A Crab Orchard High School and Marion High School g ...
, professional baseball player in minors, majors and Taiwan * Madelon Baker, record producer, music publisher, actress, singer
Who's Who in the West
'. 14th Edition. Chicago : Marquis Who's Who. 1974. p. 29. .
* Wallace A. Bandy, Illinois legislator and businessman * Babe Borton, Major League Baseball first baseman for
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...
,
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
, St. Louis Terriers and St Louis Browns * Nancy Elizabeth Brown, United States Navy
Vice Admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...
* O. H. Burnett, Illinois legislator and lawyer * Homer M. Butler, Illinois legislator and newspaper editor * Robert L. Butler, mayor of Marion from May 1963 to January 31, 2018 * Edward E. Denison, representative who practiced law in Marion * Warren W. Duncan, Illinois Supreme Court justice * James Felts, Illinois politician and newspaper editor *
Ray Fosse Raymond Earl Fosse (April 4, 1947 – October 13, 2021) was an American professional baseball player and television sports color commentator. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher from 1967 to 1979, most prominently as an All-Star ...
, Major League Baseball catcher for
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...
,
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
,
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
and
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
, born in Marion *
Pete Rose Peter Edward Rose Sr. (April 14, 1941 – September 30, 2024), nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1963 to 1986, most prominently as a member of ...
, Major League Baseball player, served five months in the US Penitentiary in Marion * William L. Harris, Illinois legislator and businessman *
Judith Ivey Judith Lee Ivey (born September 4, 1951) is an American actress and theatre director. She twice won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play: for '' Steaming'' (1981) and '' Hurlyburly'' (1984). She also received Best Actress In A P ...
, Tony Award-winning actress * Gene Johns, Illinois legislator and businessman * Phillip McGilton, racing driver * Tom Murphy, luthier * Jim Reed, racing driver *
Williametta Spencer Williametta Spencer (born August 15, 1927) is an American composer, musicologist, and teacher who plays harpsichord, organ, and piano. She is best known for her award-winning choral work ''At the Round Earth’s Imagined Corners''. Life and career ...
, composer *
Dolph Stanley Dolph Stanley (January 23, 1905 – July 9, 1990) was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the ”Silver Fox”, Stanley is best known for holding the "unbreakable" record of guiding five different Illinois High School Association ...
, legendary high school and college basketball coach *
Richard G. Wilson Richard Gene Wilson (August 19, 1931 – October 21, 1950) was a United States Army soldier and a posthumous recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in the Korean War. A combat medic, Wilson was aw ...
, soldier and posthumous recipient of U.S. military's highest decoration, the
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
, for actions in Korean War *
Jason Pargin Jason Keith Pargin (; born January 10, 1975) is an American humor writer, novelist and Internet personality who formerly wrote under the name David Wong. He is the former executive editor of humor website Cracked.com. Pargin is best known for ...
, editor of
Cracked.com Cracked.com is an American website that was based on ''Cracked'' magazine. It was founded in 2005 by Jack O'Brien.Axon, SamuelStreamy Awards 2010: Here Are the Winners ''Mashable''. April 11, 2010. In 2007, Cracked had a couple of hundred thou ...
and author of ''
John Dies at the End ''John Dies at the End'' is a comic lovecraftian horror novel by Jason Pargin, under the pseudonym David Wong. It was first published online as a webserial beginning in 2001, then as an edited manuscript in 2004, and a printed paperback in 2007 ...
'' * Michael Lance Lynn, pitcher for the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...


References


Further reading

* Hubbs, Barbara Burr. 1939, reprint 1979. ''Pioneer Folks and Places''. Marion, Ill.: Williamson County Historical Society. * Erwin, Milo. 1876, Rep. 1976. ''History of Williamson County, Illinois''. Marion, Ill.: Williamson County Historical Society. * Erwin, Milo, and Jon Musgrave. 2006.
The Bloody Vendetta of Southern Illinois
'. Marion, Ill.
IllinoisHistory.com
240 pages.


External links

*
Marion Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Cities in Illinois Cities in Williamson County, Illinois Cities in Johnson County, Illinois County seats in Illinois Mining communities in Illinois Populated places established in 1839 1839 establishments in Illinois