History Center at Marion Public Library

10/05/2026

Every family has stories and MPL's free genealogy conference - Clues From the Past - on October 16th can help you research your own family stories. You an attend in-person at the library or virtually in your own home. Register now at: https://marion.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/genealogy-conference-2/

10/03/2026

Admit it - you fell in love with the dinosaur ever since it showed up for Summer Reading. Now the Marion Public Library has the chance to buy it and keep making memories.

Donate at least $10, and you'll get an exclusive Dino Donor sticker. Visit the library or follow the link to donate: https://mplhc.betterworld.org/campaigns/save-dinosaur

10/02/2026

Our staff is celebrating this week! 🎉

As of this week, all 11,888 photo prints in our Chronicle-Tribune photo collection have been digitized! Organizing, indexing, and digitizing these photos has taken nearly two years of work from our staff and volunteers.

These photos represent nearly 3,500 different people, organizations, and topics from over 30 years of Marion history. They are part of a larger collection of over 600,000 prints, negatives, and digital pics from the Chronicle.

09/21/2026

Interested in researching your family history? Join us for a FREE day of genealogy sessions - either in person or virtually. For more information contact the Indiana Room at 765-668-2900 x1154. You can register here: https://marion.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/genealogy-conference-2/

09/19/2026

This photo shows servicemen at a Standard Oil Service Station in Marion in 1947. This particular station was located at 522 S Washington St.—check out the front of our Carnegie building in the background!

Do you have any memories of when gas stations had attendants, or favorite Marion stations? We'd love to hear them!

📸 Photo from the History Center's Chronicle-Tribune photo collection

09/16/2026

09/15/2026

Registration is now open for our free genealogy conference on October 16th. Register here: https://marion.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/genealogy-conference-2/

09/11/2026

This month, the History Center welcomed Marine Corps veteran and former CIA officer, Frank Wehrly, home to Marion.

Mr. Wehrly shared about his 50-year career in the Marine Corps and CIA to a private group, viewing artifacts from his career that reside in the History Center collection and sharing stories about his time in service.

This included a harrowing story of being held under siege for 61 days in Bogotá, Colombia with Ambassador Diego Asencio in 1980. The American flag pictured flew at the embassy until the ambassador was freed.

Have an item in our museum collection you would like to view again? We schedule private artifact showings upon request.

09/10/2026

On September 12, 2001, the Chronicle-Tribune published this front-page news of the devastating attacks of 9/11. This week, we're remembering the civilians and first responders who gave their lives during and after this tragic event.

Within a week of this tragedy, the Chronicle-Tribune reported that Grant County residents had donated blankets, pillows, non-perishables, and more than $20,000 for disaster relief.