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Tourism Information |
Local AttractionsCriitenden County Health Department The one-story brick health building with its Art Deco pediments served as the County Health Department from 1938 until 1982 when the health department was moved to West Memphis. As a health clinic, the doctors and nurses provided health care both at the clinic in Marion as well as traveling throughout the count)' to deliver services such as immunizations to the rural population of Crittenden County. Marion Methodist Church Established in 1835. the Marion Methodist congregation is the second oldest in the State of Arkansas. The congregation was served by circuit riders who traveled on horseback. The first pastor was assigned to Marion in 1843. The new frame Methodist Church structure, had an elevated chancel area on the west end with the pump organ on one side of the pulpit. You can still see the location of the original tall, narrow windows on the sides of the building. The church bell was brought from Memphis by ferry and wagon. This church building was used for more than religious services as the Town of Marion continued to grow. It also served as a community center, temporary courtroom, a place for school programs, and recitals. McVay-Britton House The original owner, Dr. McVay, served as a Marion city official as an alderman, recorder, and treasurer, in addition to his medical practice. His daughters later converted the house into apartments, one on each floor. This house is an example of a "Four-Square House", four square rooms on each floor. Originally, there was a second floor, screened, sleeping porch above the existing porch. The home was a large attic and a partial basement which housed a coal-fired furnace which supplemented heat from two fireplaces, one on each floor. Marion Lake Nature Trail The bottomland forests of this region provided the raw resource which made Memphis, Hardwood Capital of the World. Along the rivers and streams, the trees were also used for fuel for the steamers which navigated those streams. Swampy conditions were one of the primary reasons that road building was so difficult thought this area. The location of the county seat was moved from Greenock to Marion since the road was impassable during much of the year. Old County Jail May 9, 1910, a grand jury recommended repairs for the jail and building a new courthouse. September 12, 191Q, a new courthouse and jail were approved, the court noting that the courthouse was in bad repair and provided insufficient room and the jail was very bad, unsanitary, and unsafe.... The commissioners reported that plans had been prepared by Chamberlain & Co., a Birmingham, Alabama, and Fort Worth, Texas, architectural firm, and probable costs for both buildings (courthouse and jail) would not exceed SI00,000. Marion Lake Act XLVIIMarch 18th, 1881: An Act To declare Grandee Lake (commonly called Marion Lake,} and the outlet thereto, in Crittenden County, a navigable stream, and for other purposes...... The lake was originally named for Augustine Grandee who had been commandant of Fort Esperanza, which had been constructed by the Spanish in 1795 on the west bank of the Mississippi River. The trail marker is in the approximate location of the steel rings used to moor the stream boats which come to Marion. The use of the stream was critical to the development of the Town of Marion as much of the transportation of goods to the early outlying communities had to be provided by boat This area is part of Spanish Land Grant 23—. The Spanish Land Grants usually were positioned on the highest ground in an area, on the downstream side of the streams where the flood waters deposited the rich alluvial soil and created natural levees. Marion Hotel The first "inn" bearing the name of Marion Hotel was built and operated by Peter Berry, who came to Crittenden County in the early 1830's from Kentucky. Berry lived briefly at Hopefield, and then moved to Marion. His hotel was on the north side of Military Road near the steamboat landing. The two-story brick Marion Hotel, completed in 1911, contained 31 rooms, three with private baths, three apartments on the west side, one of which housed G. T. TreadgUl's barber shop and pool hall, and one apartment and a dormitory are on the east side. The hotel, which offered a private room for $40 a month or a room for two for $37.50 a month, became the home for most Marion teachers in the 1920's and 1930's. A big dance which was given to celebrate the opening of the hotel prompted a hairdresser coming from Memphis to provide the latest hairdos for the ladies who would be attending. The hotel's dining room was a favorite spot for those who chose to dine out. The Hotel was the location for most important social events and there are stories of Mayor Crump of Memphis frequently visiting the hotel for these events. Crittenden Bank & Trust Company As the county and its businesses began to prosper, banks provided a depositor for monies and a source for needed capital for new businesses and homes. Unfortunately, many of the early banks failed. Of the four banking institutions which operated in this building, only one, Citizens Bank, survived. It moved in 1956 into the building operated today as the Marion City Hall, and later into another building at the corner of Pine and Block streets. Citizens Bank was merged with National Bank of Commerce of Memphis, Tennessee, in 1999. Rhodes Storefronts While those living on the plantations usually shopped at the commissary store on the farm, trips into town allowed for the purchase of different goods. The shopping trip to town was a social event visiting with friends from other areas. Fire was always a serious threat to both life and property and frame structures, with their coal stoves and gas lighting, were always at risk. Fire fighting was a volunteer activity and everyone helped who could as the next building to burn could be yours. Because of the danger of entire sections of a community burning, the Sanbora Fire Insurance Company sent representatives into towns to map the structures and rate the risk to each commercial or public building. Confederate Memorial While most of the activity in Crittenden County during the War Between the States centered in the Hopefield and Mound City area, most families had members who joined either the Confederate or the Union armies. The sinking of the Sultana, with over 2,300 lost, is the highest marine casualty of all time.
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