Marion, Virginia

Tourism

Marion is one of a few towns to be designated as an official Virginia Main Street Community and National Main Street Community. The Lincoln Theatre, a meticulously renovated Art-Deco Mayan Revival-style performing arts center in Marion, is the home of the nationally syndicated bluegrass music program Song of the Mountains. The General Francis Marion Hotel has been completely restored. It is a boutique hotel that has received an AAA Three-Diamond ranking. The town hosts a monthly ArtWalk with local artists and musicians, held on the second Friday of each month in May through December.

Geography

Marion is located at 36°50′N 81°31′W (36.8370, -81.5165).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.7 km²), all of it land.

Marion is near Hungry Mother State Park.

Marion holds the state record low for the month of May at 15 degrees and the second lowest recorded April temperature in the state at 10.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,349 people, 2,647 households, and 1,614 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,528.3 people per square mile (590.7/km²). There were 2,865 housing units at an average density of 689.6 per square mile (266.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.98% White, 5.94% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.

There were 2,647 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.76.

In the town, the population was spread out with 19.4% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $25,609, and the median income for a family was $34,257. Males had a median income of $27,960 versus $22,027 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,372. About 13.2% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 17.9% of those age 65 or over.

History

Marion College, a two-year Lutheran women's college, operated from 1873 to 1967. Marion College, constructed in 1968 and named in honor of Francis Marion, is a women's residence hall at Roanoke College.

Marion is known for being the birthplace of the soft drink Mountain Dew, but the original drink was created in Knoxville, Tennessee. Although Mountain Dew was first marketed under that name in Knoxville, the original soft drink’s formula changed drastically from Knoxville’s formula to the syrup mixture that constitutes today’s drink. In 1961, the rights to Mountain Dew were purchased by the Marion-based Tip Corporation. The Mountain Dew flavor was reworked by Marion resident William H. "Bill" Jones. Due to the success of the revised formulation, the Pepsi Corporation purchased the Tip Corporation in 1964. Marion also hosted the Mountain Dew Festival for more than 50 years.

In 1965, after graduating from Alvin High School, one of Major League Baseball's Hall of Famer pitchers, Nolan Ryan, signed a professional baseball contract with the New York Mets, and was assigned to a minor league team in the Appalachian League called the Marion Mets (1965–1976) in Marion, Virginia. Three years later Ryan pitched in the major leagues, debuting with the Mets in 1968.

R. T. Greer and Company, Henderson Building, Hotel Lincoln, Hungry Mother State Park Historic District, Lincoln Theatre, Marion Historic District, Marion Male Academy, Norfolk & Western Railway Depot, Preston House, and the Abijah Thomas House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Notable people

Sherwood Anderson (1876–1941), American author of the celebrated novel Winesburg, Ohio, is buried at Round Hill Cemetery in Marion. His grave marker reads, "Life not death is the great adventure." The house he shared with his wife, Eleanor Copenhaver Anderson, known as "Rosemont" was torn down to build a new fire station.

Katherine Johnson (1918), physicist and mathematician who made contributions to the United States' aeronautics and space programs with the early application of digital electronic computers at NASA, taught in Marion following her college graduation.

Nolan Ryan, former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher and a previous chief executive officer (CEO) of the Texas Rangers, played his rookie year in Marion in 1965.

Billy Wagner (1971) 15 year Major League Baseball relief pitcher "Billy the Kid" was born in Marion, VA where his father and uncles all played for the Marion Scarlet Hurricane's high school baseball team. Born right hand dominated he broke his arm twice and learned and continued to pitch with his left hand through his seven-time All Star career where he racked up 422 saves in 853 games with a 2.31 ERA and 1,196 strikeouts.

Climate

The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Marion has a marine west coast climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.