Marion is a city in and the county seat of Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 12,345 at the 2010 census, a 38.7% increase since 2000.[3] The city is part of the Memphis metropolitan area. It is the second largest city in Crittenden County, behind West Memphis.
In 1837, two commissioners had been appointed by Crittenden county court to select a site for a new county seat. County residents Marion Tolbert and his wife, Temperance gave a deed to the commissioners "for the county of Crittenden for county purposes" on June 25, 1837. A town was laid out and named Marion in honor the man who gave the land for the site. The town of Marion was officially made the county seat of Crittenden County, Arkansas.[7]
Soon after the county seat was moved from it's first location of Greenock on the Mississippi River to Marion, a wooden frame building was constructed in the town for holding court. At an unknown point, the building was destroyed by a tornado.[8] In the late 1850's, the first railroad in the state of Arkansas, the Memphis & Little Rock Railroad, laid tracks 5.5 miles south of the town.[9]
Sultana Disaster
During the American Civil War the steamboat Sultana was destroyed in an explosion on April 27, 1865, as it was transporting released Union POWs near Mound City, just east of Marion. It is estimated that 1,500 soldiers and crew were killed, the largest loss of life in a maritime accident in US history. This tragedy is commemorated by a historic marker placed by the Daughters of the American Revolution.
By 1873, construction started on a two story brick county courthouse in Marion. This building burned in 1908 and was later replaced with the current brick courthouse. The initial contract for the courthouse and jail was $60k, and due to unknown circumstances construction took many years to finish.[10][7] In the 1880's, the town received it's first proper railway connection when the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway built a line through the town to make a connection between St. Louis, Missouri and Memphis.[11]
Incorporation
The city of Marion was officially incorporated on March 5, 1896.[12]
In 1954, a local Black man, Isadore Banks was murdered by a mob in the town. He was chained to a tree, covered with gasoline and burned. Nobody was ever charged in the killing.[13]
Historic marker in Marion noting that Military Road (US 64) was used for the Trail of Tears
Major highways
Marion is bisected by Interstate 55/US 61 and is located just to the north of its junction with Interstate 40 prior to their crossing the Mississippi River, en route to Memphis. U.S. Highway 64 is the major east-west route through the town. Arkansas Highway 77 is a major north-south arterial road, east of Interstate 55, and Highway 118 is the major north-south arterial road, west of Interstate 55.
Crittenden County and West Memphis jointly operate a port on the Mississippi River.[26] The International Port of Memphis lies just across the Mississippi River via Interstate 55. The International Port of Memphis is the fourth-largest inland port in the United States.[27]
Community
Because of its proximity to Memphis and Interstate highways, Marion offers the activities and enrichment of a large city while maintaining the character of a small community. In addition to the many community events common to any town, each May Marion hosts the Esperanza Bonanza, a festival that includes live music, a barbecue competition, a rodeo, a golf tournament, a carnival, and games for adults & children.[28] More recently Marion has begun "Christmas on the Square" in early December co-sponsored by the local Kiwanis Club and the Marion Chamber of Commerce.[29]
Marion is served by the Woolfolk Public Library[30] which is jointly operated by Crittenden County and the city of Marion. It was named in honor of a local author and newspaper editor, Margaret Woolfolk.
Outdoor recreation is a big part of community life, from organized youth sports to individual and family activities. Marion is located less than 1 hour from 12 Arkansas, Tennessee or Mississippi state parks.[31] Additional outdoor recreation is available at Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge about 10 miles (16 km) north of town. The nearby community of Horseshoe Lake offers opportunity for water sports.
Healthcare
Marion and Crittenden County were served by Crittenden Regional Hospital[32] a 152-bed JCAHO Accredited facility [33] in nearby West Memphis until its closure in 2014. Starting in 2016 Crittenden Regional Hospital was converted into a female correctional facility and renamed East Central Arkansas Community Correction Center.[34]
Marion and Crittenden County have been served by Baptist Memorial Hospital-Crittenden which opened on December 13, 2018.[35][36]
As of the census[39] of 2010, there were 12,345 people and 4,278 households in the city. The population density was 604.4 inhabitants per square mile (233.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 68.1% White, 28% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 1.4% from two or more races. 2.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
88% of the population had a high school diploma and 28% reported a bachelor's degree or higher. 2.5% of the population is foreign born and 4.4% report a language other than English being spoken at home. The home ownership rate was 71.3% at a median value of $142,200. The median household income was $60,051. 7.3% of the population are below the poverty line.
Crittenden Pentecostal Academy, K-12 (West Memphis)
St. Michael's Catholic School, PK-6 (West Memphis)
Notes
^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
^Official records for Memphis were kept at downtown from January 1875 to December 1939 and at Memphis Int'l since January 1940.[17]
