Marion's Last Used Car Lot

 The last new car dealership in Marion was for Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth. It closed it's doors in 1991.

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Today (Sept. 2021) Marion has only one used car dealership. It being Bobby Stinnett Used Cars located at 331 Sturgis Road. This business is run today by Shawn Stinnett, son of the original owner, Bobby Stinnett, who started this business in Dycusburg in 1961.  

After his father passed in 1991, Shawn continued the family business and moved it to it's present location today on Sturgis road just outside of Marion. 

 Now after 60 years of supplying good used vehicles to not only Crittenden County but other counties around and southern Illinois, it is one of the longest continued successful businesses in the area.

Shawn said he has been blessed through the years with a successful business, and always tries to make it right with his customers, has service with a smile, has a warranty on his vehicles and gets along good with everyone.

The week I talked with Shawn he had just recently gotten 10 good used vehicles and had already sold eight of them and was in need of replenishing his stock. He says good used vehicles has really been difficult since the program Cash for Clunkers some years back really hurt the supply. But he works hard trying to keep his lot filled with nice dependable vehicles that people can afford and something for everyone.

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There are two other used car dealerships in Crittenden County those being Joshua Motors, LLC located on Hwy. 60 West, where the old drive-in theater used to be, and Jones Used Car Sales on Mott City Road going toward Crayne.

Ira Walker Cook Receives The Carnegie Medal in 1913

 The Carnegie Medal is a bronze medallion three inches in diameter and is awarded to civilians who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree saving or attempting to save the lives of others.

Ira Walker Cook, 15, school boy, saved J. Glenn Springs, 16, school boy, from drowning, Fords Ferry, KY, May 31, 1913.

Glenn, who was learning to swim, became distressed in deep water in Walker's Pond, 30 feet from the bank, and went beneath the surface.

Ira, who was on the bank, called to a young man near Glenn to go to Glenn's assistance; then, when the young man made no move toward aiding Glenn, Ira swam to Glenn and grasped his arm.

Glenn caught Ira's arm with both hands, and both went beneath the surface.  Ira jerked himself free and reached the waters surface before Glenn.  He grasped Glenn and holding him at arm's length swam 10 feet to water in which he could stand, and then helped Glenn to wade to the bank.

Ira Walker Cook

Born: June 14, 1898

Died: Oct. 7, 1978

Buried: Mapleview Cemetery, Marion, KY

This wonderful piece of history has a home in the Crittenden County Historical Museum, 124 East Bellville St., so all that visit can see and read the history of the Medal and Ira Walker's Cook brave deed.

The Medal and history was donated to the Museum by Ira's son, Percy Cook.