In January 1912 an article was published in The Crittenden Press stating that Marion's post office that was rebuilt after the 1905 fire on Carlisle Street, was becoming too small and cramped for the immense volume of business that passed through it each day.
The paper stated that the cancellations here each day entitle Marion to a free day delivery under the law and the rural routes and the number of Star routes supplied from Marion's post office crowd beyond capacity the room now used to house and sort the mail.
A petition has been presented to Congressman Ollie M. James asking to present a bill in Congress asking the government to build a federal building here.
Since Ollie M. James was a Marion native and loved his home town, he told his petitioners that he would leave no stone unturned to accomplish the wishes of his home city.
In Feb. 1917, bids were being taken for the construction of the new building. A site was picked, which was not too far from the old post office building, and by July 1917 the foundation was being laid. The picture above is the new Post Office facility soon after it was built in 1917.
The building that was built at this time is still in use to day. A well cared for and maintained facility for everyone to use. Safety hand rails and a modern-day handicapped ramped has been added during the past few years. Otherwise it still looks as it did when it was first built.
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