Marion, Illinois

He had lived in the county at least since 1817, and was the first settler to enter land in Poor Prairie.

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.

The Williamson County Court organized in Marion on October 7, 1839, at the Benson log cabin.

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.

Herrin Hospital in Herrin, established in 1913, employs 450 employees.

The grand opening of the Orpheum Theatre was on January 2, 1922.

Pepsi / MidAmerica, soft drinks in operation since 1935 employing 600 workers.

VA Medical Center, established in 1942, employs 1500 workers.

Heartland Regional Medical Center, formerly Marion Memorial Hospital first established in 1953, employing 600 employees.

Established in 1963.

Logan College in Carterville, established in 1967, employing 850 workers.

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.

=== Tornadoes === On May 29, 1982, one of the larger tornadoes in Illinois history, rated F4, hit the city of Marion and Williamson County.

Blue Cross/Blue Shield claims processing center established in 1983 employing 350 employees.

After a 1997 fire destroyed the city's former civic center, the new facility was crafted using parts of the old Orpheum Theater building.

=== 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 Architect...

=== Major employers === As of March 30, 2009, the largest employers located inside the city limits were as follows: Aisin Mfg., three auto parts plants first established in 20...

=== Sister city === Marion became a sister city to Kanie, Japan, on March 26, 2010.

=== 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 a...

== Demographics == As of the census of July 1, 2022, there were 16,729 people, and 8,028 households residing in the city.

An EF4 tornado struck to the south of Marion on May 16, 2025 with wind speeds reaching 190 mph (310 km/h).