Editing Marion, Kansas (section)

===19th century===
[[File:Map elk chase kansas.jpg|thumb|left|1893 Railroad Map]]
In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France.  In 1803, most of the land for [[History of Kansas|modern day Kansas]] was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile [[Louisiana Purchase]] for 2.83 [[Penny (United States coin)|cents]] per [[acre]].

In 1806, [[Zebulon Pike]] led the [[Pike Expedition]] westward from [[St Louis, Missouri]], of which part of their journey followed the [[Cottonwood River (Kansas)|Cottonwood River]] through [[Marion County, Kansas|Marion County]] near the current cities of [[Florence, Kansas|Florence]], Marion, [[Durham, Kansas|Durham]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://zebulonpike.org/maps/kansas/MAINSEKS.pdf |title=1806 Pike Expedition map through Marion County |publisher=zebulonpike.org |access-date=June 1, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317175019/http://zebulonpike.org/maps/kansas/MAINSEKS.pdf |archive-date=March 17, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1854, the [[Kansas Territory]] was organized, then in 1861 [[Kansas]] became the 34th [[U.S. state]].  In 1855, [[Marion County, Kansas|Marion County]] was established within [[Kansas]], which included the land for modern day Marion.<ref name="Marion-Co-History">{{Cite web |url=http://www.marioncoks.net/AboutMarionCounty/History/tabid/7634/Default.aspx |title=The History of Marion County and Courthouse |access-date=January 17, 2016 |archive-date=February 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227021903/http://www.marioncoks.net/AboutMarionCounty/History/tabid/7634/Default.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The city of '''Marion Centre''' was founded in 1860 and became the [[county seat]], named in honor of [[Francis Marion]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_5zdAAQAAMAAJ | title=Biennial Report of the Board of Directors of the Kansas State Historical Society | publisher=Kansas State Printing Plant | author=Kansas State Historical Society | year=1916 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_5zdAAQAAMAAJ/page/n340 233]}}</ref>  A post office was established on September 30, 1862, which shortened the name to '''Marion''' on October 15, 1881. The city officially adopted the shorter name on January 17, 1882.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kshs.org/geog/geog_postoffices/search/county:MN |title=Kansas Post Offices, 1828–1961 (archived) |publisher=Kansas Historical Society |access-date=June 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009130856/http://www.kshs.org/geog/geog_postoffices/search/county%3AMN |archive-date=October 9, 2013 }}</ref> In 1875, Marion incorporated as a city as a 3rd class city, later in 1888 it became a 2nd class city.<ref name="MarionCountyBook" />

[[File:MarionLibrary.jpg|thumb|left|Marion Library, in former [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway|Santa Fe]] depot (Marion CO-OP [[grain elevator]] in background) (2011)]]
As early as 1875, city leaders of Marion held a meeting to consider a branch railroad from [[Florence, Kansas|Florence]]. In 1878, [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]] and parties from [[Marion County, Kansas|Marion County]] and [[McPherson County, Kansas|McPherson County]] chartered the [[Marion and McPherson Railway Company]].<ref name="MarionCountyBook">''Marion County Kansas : Past and Present''; Sondra Van Meter; MB Publishing House; [[LCCN]] 72-92041; 344 pages; 1972.</ref>  In 1879, a branch line was built from [[Florence, Kansas|Florence]] to [[McPherson, Kansas|McPherson]], in 1880 it was extended to [[Lyons, Kansas|Lyons]], in 1881 it was extended to [[Ellinwood, Kansas|Ellinwood]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZIwpAAAAYAAJ|title=Fourth Annual Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners for the Year Ending December 1, 1886 in State of Kansas; Kansas Publishing House; 1886.|date=August 13, 1886 }}</ref> The line was leased and operated by the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]]. The line from [[Florence, Kansas|Florence]] to Marion, was abandoned in 1968.<ref name="Abandon Railway 1968">{{Cite web|url=http://www.abandonedrails.com/lyons-to-florence|title=Lyons to Florence, KS - Abandoned Rails|website=www.abandonedrails.com}}</ref> In 1992, the line from Marion to [[McPherson, Kansas|McPherson]] was sold to [[Central Kansas Railway]]. In 1993, after heavy flood damage, the line from Marion to McPherson was abandoned. The original branch line connected [[Florence, Kansas|Florence]], Marion, [[Canada, Kansas|Canada]], [[Hillsboro, Kansas|Hillsboro]], [[Lehigh, Kansas|Lehigh]], [[Canton, Kansas|Canton]], [[Galva, Kansas|Galva]], [[McPherson, Kansas|McPherson]], [[Conway, Kansas|Conway]], [[Windom, Kansas|Windom]], [[Little River, Kansas|Little River]], [[Mitchell, Kansas|Mitchell]], [[Lyons, Kansas|Lyons]], [[Chase, Kansas|Chase]], [[Ellinwood, Kansas|Ellinwood]]. Later, the Santa Fe depot building was converted into the Marion Library. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Santa Fe".

In 1887, the [[Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway]] built a branch line north-south from [[Herington, Kansas|Herington]] through Marion to [[Caldwell, Kansas|Caldwell]].<ref name="Rock Island Rail History">{{cite web|url=http://home.covad.net/~scicoatnsew/rihist4.htm|title=Rock Island Rail History|access-date=July 31, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110619230000/http://home.covad.net/~scicoatnsew/rihist4.htm|archive-date=June 19, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> It foreclosed in 1891 and was taken over by [[Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway]], which shut down in 1980 and reorganized as [[Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad]], merged in 1988 with [[Missouri Pacific Railroad]], and finally merged in 1997 with [[Union Pacific Railroad]]. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island".

In 1889, the Marion Belt and Chingawasa Springs Railroad built a {{convert|4.5|mi|km|adj=on}} railroad from Marion north-east to Chingawasa Springs. A hotel was built near the site of the spa at Chingawasa Springs, and a depot and eatery as well. Both Santa Fe and Rock Island offered round trip fares from Chicago and western cities to Chingawasa Springs. An economic panic in 1893 closed down the health spa and hotel, and quarry business along the tracks never developed sufficiently. In 1893, the railroad ceased operations, and tracks were removed in 1910.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rypn.org/articles/single.php?filename=060401002334.txt|title=The Marion Belt and Chingawasa Springs Railroad |website=www.rypn.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.orphantraindepot.com/LegendArticlePart1.html|title=Chingawasa Springs (1 of 2)|work=National Orphan Train Complex|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002014406/http://www.orphantraindepot.com/LegendArticlePart1.html|archive-date=October 2, 2011}}</ref>