Marion is a city in and 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
Marion County,
Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
, United States.
As of the
2020 census, the population of the city was 1,922.
The city was named in honor of
Francis Marion
Brigadier general (United States), Brigadier General Francis Marion ( 1732 – February 27, 1795), also known as the "Swamp Fox", was an American military officer, planter, and politician who served during the French and Indian War and t ...
, a
brigadier general of the
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 ...
, known as the "Swamp Fox".
History
Early history
For many
millennia
A millennium () is a period of one thousand years, one hundred decades, or ten centuries, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting p ...
, the
Great Plains
The Great Plains is a broad expanse of plain, flatland in North America. The region stretches east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland. They are the western part of the Interior Plains, which include th ...
of
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
was inhabited by
Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the Middle Ages, medieval and Early modern France, early modern period. It was one of the most powerful states in Europe from th ...
claimed ownership of large parts of
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
. In 1762, after the
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...
, France secretly ceded
New France
New France (, ) was the territory colonized by Kingdom of France, France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Kingdom of Great Br ...
to
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, per the
Treaty of Fontainebleau.
19th century

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France. In 1803, most of the land for
modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase () was the acquisition of the Louisiana (New France), territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. This consisted of most of the land in the Mississippi River#Watershed, Mississipp ...
for 2.83
cents per
acre
The acre ( ) is a Unit of measurement, unit of land area used in the Imperial units, British imperial and the United States customary units#Area, United States customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one Chain (unit), ch ...
.
In 1806,
Zebulon Pike
Zebulon Montgomery Pike (January 5, 1779 – April 27, 1813) was an American brigadier general and explorer for whom Pikes Peak in Colorado is named. As a U.S. Army officer he led two expeditions through the Louisiana Purchase territory, first ...
led the
Pike Expedition westward from
St Louis, Missouri
St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...
, of which part of their journey followed the
Cottonwood River through
Marion County near the current cities of
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
, Marion,
Durham.
In 1854, the
Kansas Territory
The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the Slave and ...
was organized, then in 1861
Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
became the 34th
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
. In 1855,
Marion County was established within
Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
, which included the land for modern day Marion.
The city of Marion Centre was founded in 1860 and became 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 ...
, named in honor of
Francis Marion
Brigadier general (United States), Brigadier General Francis Marion ( 1732 – February 27, 1795), also known as the "Swamp Fox", was an American military officer, planter, and politician who served during the French and Indian War and t ...
. A post office was established on September 30, 1862, which shortened the name to Marion on October 15, 1881. The city officially adopted the shorter name on January 17, 1882. In 1875, Marion incorporated as a city as a 3rd class city, later in 1888 it became a 2nd class city.

As early as 1875, city leaders of Marion held a meeting to consider a branch railroad from
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
. In 1878,
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996.
The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at vario ...
and parties from
Marion County and
McPherson County chartered the
Marion and McPherson Railway Company.
[''Marion County Kansas : Past and Present''; Sondra Van Meter; MB Publishing House; ]LCCN
The Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) is a serially based system of numbering cataloged records in the Library of Congress, in the United States. It is not related to the contents of any book, and should not be confused with Library of ...
72-92041; 344 pages; 1972. In 1879, a branch line was built from
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
to
McPherson
McPherson is a Scottish surname. It is an Anglicised form of the Gaelic ''Mac a' Phearsain'' and ''Mac a Phearsoin'', meaning "son of the parson". Notable people with the surname include:
In sports
*Adrian McPherson, American football player
...
, in 1880 it was extended to
Lyons
Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
, in 1881 it was extended to
Ellinwood. The line was leased and operated by the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996.
The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at vario ...
. The line from
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
to Marion, was abandoned in 1968.
In 1992, the line from Marion to
McPherson
McPherson is a Scottish surname. It is an Anglicised form of the Gaelic ''Mac a' Phearsain'' and ''Mac a Phearsoin'', meaning "son of the parson". Notable people with the surname include:
In sports
*Adrian McPherson, American football player
...
was sold to
Central Kansas Railway. In 1993, after heavy flood damage, the line from Marion to McPherson was abandoned. The original branch line connected
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
, Marion,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
,
Hillsboro,
Lehigh,
Canton,
Galva Galva may refer to:
Places
;United States
* Galva, Illinois
* Galva, Iowa
* Galva, Kansas
Galva is a city in McPherson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 834.
History
Early history
Fo ...
,
McPherson
McPherson is a Scottish surname. It is an Anglicised form of the Gaelic ''Mac a' Phearsain'' and ''Mac a Phearsoin'', meaning "son of the parson". Notable people with the surname include:
In sports
*Adrian McPherson, American football player
...
,
Conway
Conway may refer to:
Places
United States
* Conway, Arkansas
* Conway County, Arkansas
* Lake Conway, Arkansas
* Conway, Florida
* Conway, Iowa
* Conway, Kansas
* Conway, Louisiana
* Conway, Massachusetts
* Conway, Michigan
* Conway Townshi ...
,
Windom,
Little River
Little River may refer to several places:
Australia Streams New South Wales
*Little River (Dubbo), source in the Dubbo region, a tributary of the Macquarie River
* Little River (Oberon), source in the Oberon Shire, a tributary of Coxs River (Haw ...
,
Mitchell,
Lyons
Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
,
Chase
Chase or CHASE may refer to:
Businesses
* Chase Bank, a national American financial institution
* Chase UK, a British retail bank
* Chase Aircraft (1943–1954), a defunct American aircraft manufacturer
* Chase Coaches, a defunct bus operator in ...
,
Ellinwood. Later, the Santa Fe depot building was converted into the Marion Library. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Santa Fe".
In 1887, the
Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway
The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway (CK&N) was formed in 1885 and Marcus Low, a former attorney for the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, was its president. The CRI&P advanced the CK&N about twenty-five million dollars to begin cons ...
built a branch line north-south from
Herington through Marion to
Caldwell
Caldwell may refer to:
People
* Caldwell (surname)
* Caldwell (given name)
* Caldwell First Nation, a federally recognized First Nation in southern Ontario, Canada
Places
Great Britain
* Caldwell, Derbyshire, a hamlet
* Caldwell, Ea ...
.
It foreclosed in 1891 and was taken over by
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway, which shut down in 1980 and reorganized as
Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad
The Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad (OKT) was a railroad operating in its namesake states in the 1980s.
OKT I
The Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad was originally created on May 29, 1980, after the demise of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pa ...
, merged in 1988 with
Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri Pacific Railroad , commonly abbreviated as MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers. In 1967, the railroad o ...
, and finally merged in 1997 with
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad is a Railroad classes, 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 Stat ...
. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island".
In 1889, the Marion Belt and Chingawasa Springs Railroad built a railroad from Marion north-east to Chingawasa Springs. A hotel was built near the site of the spa at Chingawasa Springs, and a depot and eatery as well. Both Santa Fe and Rock Island offered round trip fares from Chicago and western cities to Chingawasa Springs. An economic panic in 1893 closed down the health spa and hotel, and quarry business along the tracks never developed sufficiently. In 1893, the railroad ceased operations, and tracks were removed in 1910.
20th century
The
National Old Trails Road
National Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, was established in 1912, and became part of the National Auto Trail system in the United States. It was long and stretched from Baltimore, Maryland (some old maps indicate N ...
, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, was established in 1912, and was routed through
Lehigh,
Hillsboro, Marion and
Lost Springs.
In 1937, the
Marion County Lake was completed by the
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government unemployment, work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was ...
south-east of Marion for the purpose of recreation. There were numerous floods during the early history of Marion. In June and July 1951, due to heavy rains, rivers and streams flooded numerous cities in Kansas, including Marion. Many reservoirs and levees were built in Kansas as part of a response to the
Great Flood of 1951
In mid-July 1951, heavy rains led to a great rise of water in the Kansas River, Missouri River, and other surrounding areas of the Central United States. Flooding occurred in the Kansas, Neosho, Marais Des Cygnes, and Verdigris river basins. ...
. From 1964 to 1968, the
Marion Reservoir was constructed north-west of Marion. Downstream from the Marion Reservoir, levees were built in the low areas of Marion and
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
.
21st century
2023 newspaper raid
In August 2023, Marion County police raided the newspaper ''
Marion County Record'', its owners, and a local city council member. The police had received information that the paper had obtained, allegedly from a confidential source (it was later shown that legal public sources were used) that a local business owner had an unresolved drunk driving conviction and continued to drive for many months without a driving license. The newspaper did not publish this legally obtained information.
Geography
Marion is located in the scenic
Flint Hills
The Flint Hills, historically known as Bluestem Pastures or Blue Stem Hills, are a region of hills and prairies that lie mostly in eastern Kansas. It is named for the abundant residual flint eroded from the bedrock that lies near or at the surfa ...
and
Great Plains
The Great Plains is a broad expanse of plain, flatland in North America. The region stretches east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland. They are the western part of the Interior Plains, which include th ...
of the state of
Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
. According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Marion has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Demographics
2020 census
The
2020 United States census counted 1,922 people, 860 households, and 502 families in Marion.
[ The population density was 696.9 per square mile (269.1/km). There were 971 housing units at an average density of 352.1 per square mile (135.9/km).] The racial makeup was 94.17% (1,810) 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 ...
or European American
European Americans are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes both people who descend from the first European settlers in the area of the present-day United States and people who descend from more recent European arrivals. Since th ...
(93.08% non-Hispanic white
Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...
), 0.1% (2) black
Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or African-American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
, 0.47% (9) Native American or Alaska Native
Alaska Natives (also known as Native Alaskans, Alaskan Indians, or Indigenous Alaskans) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of Alaska that encompass a diverse arena of cultural and linguistic groups, including the I ...
, 0.05% (1) Asian, 0.0% (0) 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 ...
or Native Hawaiian
Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians; , , , and ) are the Indigenous peoples of Oceania, Indigenous Polynesians, Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawaiʻi was set ...
, 0.26% (5) from other races, and 4.94% (95) 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 was 3.33% (64) of the population.
Of the 860 households, 23.8% had children under the age of 18; 46.4% were married couples living together; 29.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 37.7% of households consisted of individuals and 21.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[ The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.9. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 18.4% of the population.
20.3% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 24.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.0 males.][ For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 117.8 males.][
The 2016-2020 5-year ]American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
estimates show that the median household income was $46,548 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,836) and the median family income was $59,028 (+/- $9,025). Males had a median income of $40,000 (+/- $11,143) versus $28,750 (+/- $8,663) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $32,826 (+/- $3,144). Approximately, 5.2% of families and 5.5% of the population were 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 ...
, including 4.9% of those under the age of 18 and 4.2% of those ages 65 or over.
2010 census
At the 2010 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 ...
, there were 1,927 people, 846 households, and 514 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 973 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.6% 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 ...
, 0.6% 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 ...
, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% 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 ...
, 0.5% from other races, and 0.8% 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 1.4% of the population.
There were 846 households, of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.2% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.90.
The median age was 44 years. 24.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.5% were from 25 to 44; 25.6% were from 45 to 64; and 23% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.
Arts and culture
Area events
* Chingawassa Days Festival
* Old Settler's Day
* Art in the Park and Craft Show
Area attractions
Marion has five listings on the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
(NRHP).
* Elgin Hotel (NRHP
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of sites, buildings, structures, districts, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
), 115 North 3rd Street. Currently a Bed and Breakfast.
* First Presbyterian Church (NRHP
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of sites, buildings, structures, districts, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
), 610 East Lawrence Street.
* Hill Grade School (NRHP
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of sites, buildings, structures, districts, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
), 601 East Main Street.
* Marion County Courthouse (NRHP
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of sites, buildings, structures, districts, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
), 200 South 3rd Street.
* Marion County Museum, 623 East Main Street. Formerly the First Baptist Church from 1882 to mid-1950s.
Nearby recreational areas:
* Marion County Lake, southeast of Marion, east of Marion on 190th Street (Main) then south on Upland Road.
* Marion Reservoir, northwest of Marion, exists along US-56
U.S. Route 56 (US 56) is an east–west United States highway that runs for approximately in the Midwestern United States. US 56's western terminus is at Interstate 25 Business (I-25 Bus.), US 412 and New Mexico State Road 21 (NM 21) in Spri ...
(closest to farthest): Marion cove and Cottonwood Point cove (Pawnee Road), Overlook and Dam (Old Mill Road), Hillsboro cove (Nighthawk Road), French Creek cove (Limestone Road).
Government
City
The Marion government consists of a mayor and four council members. The city council meets every other Monday at 4:30pm.
* City Hall – 208 E. Santa Fe St.
* Police Department – 112 N. 5th St. As of August 2023, the police department had five full time members.
* Fire Department – 114 N. 5th St.
County
* Marion County Courthouse – 203 S. 4th St.
U.S.
* U.S. Post Office – 423 E. Main St.
* U.S. Consolidated Farm Service Agency – 301 N. Eisenhower Dr.
Education
Public schools
The community is served by Marion–Florence USD 408 public school district. The high school is a member of T.E.E.N., a shared video teaching network between five area high schools.
* Marion High School (Kansas), 701 E Main St.
* Marion Middle School, 125 S Lincoln St.
* Marion Elementary School, 1400 E Lawrence St.
Library
Each USD 408 school has a library for student access. The city is served by the Marion City Library at 101 Library Street. The library is a member of the North Central Kansas Libraries System, which provides an inter-library book loan service between its members.
Media
Print
* '' Marion County Record'', official newspaper for City of Marion and Marion County.
* '' Hillsboro Free Press'', free newspaper for greater Marion County area.
Radio
Marion is served by numerous radio stations
Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio signal, audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a lan ...
from the Wichita- Hutchinson listening market area, and satellite radio
Satellite radio is defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)'s ITU Radio Regulations (RR) as a '' broadcasting-satellite service''. The satellite's signals are broadcast nationwide, across a much wider geographical area than te ...
. (See '' Media in Wichita, Kansas''.)
Television
Marion is served by over-the-air ATSC digital TV
Digital television (DTV) is the transmission of television signals using digital encoding, in contrast to the earlier analog television technology which used analog signals. At the time of its development it was considered an innovative adv ...
of the Wichita-Hutchinson viewing market area, cable TV
Cable television is a system of delivering television broadcast programming, programming to consumers via radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted through coaxial cables, or in more recent systems, light pulses through fibre-optic cables. This ...
, and satellite TV
Satellite television is a service that delivers television programming to viewers by relaying it from a communications satellite orbiting the Earth directly to the viewer's location.ITU Radio Regulations, Section IV. Radio Stations and Systems ...
. (See '' Media in Wichita, Kansas''.)
Infrastructure
Transportation
U.S. Route 56 runs along the city's northern side, and U.S. Route 77
U.S. Route 77 (US 77) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway which extends for in the central United States. As of 2005, Its southern terminus is in Brownsville, Texas, at Veteran's International Bridge on the U.S.-Mexico borde ...
is east of the city. Kansas Highway 256 runs through the center of town as Main Street, past the east end business section, Marion High School and the downtown business district. A regional Kansas Department of Transportation
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KSDOT) is a state government organization in charge of maintaining public roadways of the U.S. state of Kansas.
Funding issues
Since 2012, over $2 billion has been diverted from its coffers to the Kans ...
office is located on the northern side of Marion at the corner of U.S. Route 56 and Cedar Street.
The Oklahoma Kansas Texas (OKT) line of the Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad is a Railroad classes, 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 Stat ...
runs north-south through the city.
Marion Municipal Airport, FAA:43K, is located south-east of Marion and centered at .
Notable people
* Randolph Carpenter (1894–1956), U.S. Representative
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...
from Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
and a U.S. Army World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
veteran
A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in an job, occupation or Craft, field.
A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in the military, armed forces.
A topic o ...
.
* Charlie Faust (1880–1915), Major League baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
player
* Beverly Hoch (born 1951), soprano
* Edward Hoch (1849–1925), Kansas House of Representatives, 17th Governor of Kansas
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...
, editor of ''Marion County Record'', Hoch Auditoria at University of Kansas
The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. Two branch campuses are in the Kansas City metropolitan area on the Kansas side: the university's medical school and hospital ...
was named after him.
* Homer Hoch
Homer Hoch (July 4, 1879 – January 30, 1949) was an American lawyer, newspaper editor, United States Congressman from Kansas, and judge who served seven terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1919 to 1933.
Biography
Born in ...
(1879–1949), U.S. Congressman, member of Kansas Supreme Court
The Kansas Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of seven justices, led by Chief Justice Marla Luckert, the court supervises the legal profession, administers the judicial branch, and serves as t ...
, lawyer, editor of ''Marion County Record''
* Tex Jones (1885–1938), Major League baseball player
* Eric Meyer (born 1953), journalism professor at University of Illinois
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United ...
, Pulitzer Prize nominee, president and majority owner of Hoch Publishing Co (in Marion)
* Fay Moulton (1876–1945), Olympic sprinter, football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
player and coach, lawyer; served as fifth head football coach at Kansas State Agricultural College (Kansas State University)
* Samuel Peters Samuel Peters may refer to:
* Samuel Peters (clergyman) (1735–1826), Connecticut Anglican clergyman and historian
* Samuel R. Peters (1842–1910), U.S. Representative from Kansas
* Samuel Jarvis Peters (1801–1855), American businessman and ...
(1842–1910), Captain in Union Army (1861–1865), lawyer, Kansas State Senator (1874–1875), Judge of 9th District (1875–1883), U.S. House of Representatives (1883–1891), newspaper editor
* William Runyan (1870–1957), preacher, composer of "Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Great Is Thy Faithfulness is a popular Christian hymn written by Thomas Chisholm (1866–1960) with music composed by William M. Runyan (1870–1957) in Baldwin City, Kansas, U.S.
The phrase "great is thy faithfulness" comes from the Old Testa ...
"
* Carla Stovall (born 1957), Kansas Attorney General
The attorney general of Kansas is a statewide elected official responsible for providing legal services to the state government of Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of ...
See also
* Cottonwood River and Great Flood of 1951
In mid-July 1951, heavy rains led to a great rise of water in the Kansas River, Missouri River, and other surrounding areas of the Central United States. Flooding occurred in the Kansas, Neosho, Marais Des Cygnes, and Verdigris river basins. ...
* Historical Maps of Marion County, Kansas
* National Old Trails Road
National Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, was established in 1912, and became part of the National Auto Trail system in the United States. It was long and stretched from Baltimore, Maryland (some old maps indicate N ...
*
References
Further reading
* ''Marion, The Media, and The Morons - Project 2025 Assault on Democracy''; Thane M. Schwartz; Apostle Publishers; 201 pages; 2025; ISBN 979-8992468502.
''Downtown Marion - 2019 Historic Resources Survey''
20 pages; 2019.
* ''Marion County Dreamed of Prosperity in Chingawassa Springs, Quarry Siding, and Rainbow Lake''; Marion Record Review; September 14, 1944.
* ''The Boom Days of the 1880's in the News Stories of Those Days''; Marion Record; September 11, 1941; Souvenir Edition.
* ''Memories of Old Chingawassa Railroad and Resort''; Marion Record; September 10-11, 1941; Souvenir Edition.
* ''First Mayor of Marion Centre''; Jack Costello; Marion Record; September 10-11, 1941; Souvenir Edition.
* ''History of College Hill School''; Mrs Frank Rhodes; Marion Record; September 16, 1937.
* ''Marion, Kansas''; Printing Bureau, 1926.
External links
*
Marion - Directory of Public Officials
League of Kansas Municipalities
Historic Images of Marion
Special Photo Collections at Wichita State University Library
{{Authority control
Cities in Kansas
County seats in Kansas
Cities in Marion County, Kansas
Populated places established in 1860
1860 establishments in Kansas Territory