Marion, Arkansas | |
|---|---|
 Crittenden County Courthouse | |
 Location of Marion in Crittenden County, Arkansas. | |
| Coordinates:35°12′22″N90°12′56″W / 35.20611°N 90.21556°W /35.20611; -90.21556 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Crittenden |
| Incorporated | March 5, 1896 |
| Named after | Marion Tolbert |
| Area | |
• Total | 20.12 sq mi (52.11 km2) |
| • Land | 20.04 sq mi (51.91 km2) |
| • Water | 0.08 sq mi (0.20 km2) |
| Elevation | 213 ft (65 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 13,752 |
| • Density | 686.12/sq mi (264.91/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−06:00 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−05:00 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code | 72364 |
| Area code | 870 |
| FIPS code | 05-44180 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405021[2] |
| Website | www |
Marion is a city in and the county seat ofCrittenden County,Arkansas, United States. The population was 12,345 at the2010 census, a 38.7% increase since 2000.[3] The city is part of theMemphis metropolitan area. It is the second largest city in Crittenden County, behindWest Memphis.
Although Marion was incorporated in 1896, the community predates that significantly. The site of Marion was part ofLouisiana (New Spain) from 1764 to 1803, when it becameLouisiana (New France). Some of the oldest land titles in the area are from Spanishland grants from a time prior to theLouisiana Purchase.[4] After the Louisiana Purchase the area was part of theArkansas Territory. During the 1830s theTrail of Tears (the forced removal of Native Americans fromGeorgia,Alabama, andMississippi) passed through the area.[5][6]
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 of 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 its first location of Greenock on theMississippi 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 1850s, the first railroad in the state of Arkansas, theMemphis & Little Rock Railroad, laid tracks 5.5 miles south of the town.[9]
During theAmerican Civil War thesteamboatSultana was destroyed in an explosion on April 27, 1865, as it was transporting released Union POWs nearMound 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 theDaughters 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 1880s, the town received its first proper railway connection when theSt. Louis–San Francisco Railway built a line through the town to make a connection betweenSt. Louis, Missouri and Memphis.[11]
In 1954, a local Black man, Isadore Banks, wasmurdered by a mob in the town. He was chained to a tree, covered with gasoline and burned. Nobody was ever charged in the killing.[12]
The city of Marion was officially incorporated on March 5, 1896.[13]
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Italian immigrants settled in Marion to engage in agricultural work for local plantation owners, such as Will Dockery. Many families later opened various businesses and contributed significantly to the local economy.[14]
Several Italian businesses exist in Marion and the surrounding area, such as Veanos Italian Restaurant[15] and Sicily's inWest Memphis.[16]
Marion is located in eastern Crittenden County. According to theUnited States Census Bureau, Marion has a total area of 20.5 square miles (53.1 km2), of which 20.4 square miles (52.9 km2) is land and 0.077 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.37%, is water.[17] It is bordered by the city ofWest Memphis to the south and bySunset andClarkedale to the north.
Ecologically, Marion is located on the border between theNorthern Backswamps (west Marion) andNorthern Holocene Meander Belts (east Marion)ecoregions within the largerMississippi Alluvial Plain. The Northern Backswamps are a network of low-lying overflow areas andfloodplains historically dominated bybald cypress,water tupelo,overcup oak,water hickory, andNuttall oak forest subject to year-round or seasonal inundation. The Northern Holocene Meander Belts are the flat floodplains and former alignments of theMississippi River, includinglevees,oxbow lakes, andpoint bars. Much of thewetlands andriverine habitat have been drained and developed for agricultural or urban land uses.[18] TheWapanocca National Wildlife Refuge, which preserves some of the year-round flooded bald cypress forest typical of this ecoregion prior to development for row agriculture lies north of Marion.
Marion is 11 miles (18 km) west ofMemphis, Tennessee, which has ahumid subtropical climate.
| Climate data for Memphis (Memphis Int'l), 1991−2020 normals,[a] extremes 1875−present[b] | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 79 (26) | 81 (27) | 87 (31) | 94 (34) | 99 (37) | 104 (40) | 108 (42) | 107 (42) | 103 (39) | 98 (37) | 86 (30) | 81 (27) | 108 (42) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 70.5 (21.4) | 73.5 (23.1) | 80.2 (26.8) | 85.3 (29.6) | 90.7 (32.6) | 95.9 (35.5) | 98.1 (36.7) | 98.5 (36.9) | 95.3 (35.2) | 88.5 (31.4) | 79.1 (26.2) | 71.4 (21.9) | 99.9 (37.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 50.9 (10.5) | 55.5 (13.1) | 64.2 (17.9) | 73.4 (23.0) | 81.7 (27.6) | 89.4 (31.9) | 91.9 (33.3) | 91.5 (33.1) | 86.0 (30.0) | 75.1 (23.9) | 62.6 (17.0) | 53.4 (11.9) | 73.0 (22.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 42.1 (5.6) | 46.1 (7.8) | 54.2 (12.3) | 63.2 (17.3) | 72.1 (22.3) | 79.9 (26.6) | 82.8 (28.2) | 82.1 (27.8) | 76.0 (24.4) | 64.6 (18.1) | 52.7 (11.5) | 44.8 (7.1) | 63.4 (17.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 33.3 (0.7) | 36.7 (2.6) | 44.3 (6.8) | 53.0 (11.7) | 62.4 (16.9) | 70.4 (21.3) | 73.6 (23.1) | 72.6 (22.6) | 65.9 (18.8) | 54.0 (12.2) | 42.9 (6.1) | 36.2 (2.3) | 53.8 (12.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 16.0 (−8.9) | 20.8 (−6.2) | 26.3 (−3.2) | 37.3 (2.9) | 48.4 (9.1) | 60.4 (15.8) | 67.0 (19.4) | 64.8 (18.2) | 52.4 (11.3) | 38.0 (3.3) | 27.3 (−2.6) | 21.1 (−6.1) | 13.6 (−10.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −8 (−22) | −11 (−24) | 12 (−11) | 27 (−3) | 36 (2) | 48 (9) | 52 (11) | 48 (9) | 36 (2) | 25 (−4) | 9 (−13) | −13 (−25) | −13 (−25) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 4.14 (105) | 4.55 (116) | 5.74 (146) | 5.87 (149) | 5.27 (134) | 3.99 (101) | 4.82 (122) | 3.37 (86) | 3.03 (77) | 3.98 (101) | 4.69 (119) | 5.49 (139) | 54.94 (1,395) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.9 (2.3) | 1.0 (2.5) | 0.5 (1.3) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.2 (0.51) | 2.7 (6.9) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 10.0 | 9.9 | 11.5 | 9.6 | 10.6 | 8.9 | 9.5 | 7.6 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 9.0 | 10.2 | 111.4 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 2.6 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 68.2 | 66.4 | 63.2 | 62.5 | 66.4 | 66.8 | 69.1 | 69.6 | 71.3 | 66.2 | 67.7 | 68.8 | 67.2 |
| Averagedew point °F (°C) | 28.6 (−1.9) | 31.8 (−0.1) | 39.4 (4.1) | 48.6 (9.2) | 58.3 (14.6) | 65.7 (18.7) | 70.0 (21.1) | 68.5 (20.3) | 63.1 (17.3) | 50.2 (10.1) | 41.0 (5.0) | 32.7 (0.4) | 49.8 (9.9) |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 166.6 | 173.8 | 215.3 | 254.6 | 301.5 | 320.6 | 326.9 | 307.0 | 251.2 | 245.9 | 173.0 | 151.9 | 2,888.3 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 53 | 57 | 58 | 65 | 69 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 68 | 70 | 56 | 50 | 65 |
| Averageultraviolet index | 2.4 | 3.7 | 5.6 | 7.5 | 8.8 | 9.5 | 9.7 | 8.8 | 7.1 | 4.8 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 6.0 |
| Source 1:NOAA (relative humidity and dew point 1961−1990, sun 1961−1987)[20][21][22] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: UV Index Today (1995 to 2022)[23] | |||||||||||||
Marion is bisected byInterstate 55/US 61 and is located just to the north of its junction withInterstate 40 prior to their crossing theMississippi River,en route toMemphis.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, andHighway 118 is the major north–south arterial road, west of Interstate 55.
Marion is served for general aviation by theWest Memphis Municipal Airport (KAWM).[24]General DeWitt Spain Airport is a civil aviation airport just north of downtown Memphis.Memphis International Airport is located south of Memphis; it provides commercial aviation through numerous carriers and is the international cargo hub forFedEx.
Union Pacific operates a 600-acre (240 ha)intermodal facility west of Marion.[25]BNSF Railway also operates an intermodal yard in Marion.[26]
Limited passenger rail is available onAmtrak atCentral Station in nearby Memphis. TheCity of New Orleans runs twice daily on a north–south route fromChicago toNew Orleans.[27]
Crittenden County and West Memphis jointly operate a port on the Mississippi River.[28] The International Port of Memphis lies just across the Mississippi River viaInterstate 55. The International Port of Memphis is the fourth-largest inland port in the United States.[29]
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.[30] 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.[31]
Marion is served by the Woolfolk Public Library[32] 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.[33] Additional outdoor recreation is available atWapanocca National Wildlife Refuge about 10 miles (16 km) north of town. The nearby community ofHorseshoe Lake offers opportunity for water sports.
Marion and Crittenden County were served by Crittenden Regional Hospital[34] a 152-bed JCAHO Accredited facility[35] in nearbyWest 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.[36]
Marion and Crittenden County have been served by Baptist Memorial Hospital-Crittenden which opened on December 13, 2018.[37][38]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 199 | — | |
| 1940 | 758 | — | |
| 1950 | 883 | 16.5% | |
| 1960 | 881 | −0.2% | |
| 1970 | 1,431 | 62.4% | |
| 1980 | 2,996 | 109.4% | |
| 1990 | 4,391 | 46.6% | |
| 2000 | 8,901 | 102.7% | |
| 2010 | 12,345 | 38.7% | |
| 2020 | 13,752 | 11.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[39] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 7,346 | 53.42% |
| Black or African American | 5,257 | 38.23% |
| Native American | 32 | 0.23% |
| Asian | 191 | 1.39% |
| Pacific Islander | 6 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 492 | 3.58% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 428 | 3.11% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 13,752 people, 4,543 households, and 3,198 families residing in the city.
As of thecensus[41] 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 orAfrican American, 0.4%Native American, 1.5%Asian, 1.4% from two or more races. 2.0% of the population wereHispanic orLatino 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. Themedian household income was $60,051. 7.3% of the population are below thepoverty line.
Crittenden County is served byMid-South Community College in West Memphis. The college offers bachelor's and master's degree programs in conjunction withArkansas State University, theUniversity of Arkansas, theUniversity of Central Arkansas,Arkansas Tech University andFranklin University.[42]
TheMarion School District serves most of the city while a small portion is zoned to theWest Memphis School District.[43]
Marion district schools:
The sole high school of the West Memphis district isAcademies of West Memphis (formerly West Memphis High School).
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromWoods, A.J., Foti, T.L., Chapman, S.S., Omernik, J.M.; et al.Ecoregions of Arkansas(PDF).United States Geological Survey.
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Municipalities and communities ofCrittenden County, Arkansas,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| National | |
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