Downtown Marion - 2019 Historic Resources Survey

Ben Moore Studio; Davis Preservation; City of Marion

This report summarizes the results of an intensive architectural survey of properties in the commercial core of Marion, KS. The survey report covers methodology, results of the field survey, and provides recommendations to the community including possible nomination of a downtown National Register historic district. The report also provides maps of surveyed properties and a bibliography. Inventory records are available at www.kshs.org/khri. From Chapter 1: Methodology "The principal objective of the Historic Survey of Downtown Marion (HPF 2019-006) was to update and create historic survey records for approximately forty-five (45) buildings in Marion’s commercial business district. Prior to this project, there had been no organized survey effort in Marion since the Kansas SHPO surveyed a sampling of Marion buildings in 1971. After receiving a Historic Preservation Fund Grant from the Kansas SHPO, the City of Marion solicited proposals. After reviewing the proposals, the City of Marion contracted with Ben Moore Studio for the project on July 29, 2019. Randy Collett of the City of Marion, Kristy Johnson of Ben Moore Studio, and Christy Davis of Davis Preservation (advisor), met with the SHPO staff for a kickoff meeting on August 14. Following the kickoff meeting – in late August and early September - Johnson and Davis initiated survey work with research at the Kansas Historical Society and Marion Historical Museum. In the absence of city directories and secondary sources, the team relied heavily on primary documents, including Sanborn Maps, newspaper articles, and, where necessary, deeds and property tax records. The City of Marion assisted by collecting and sharing historic photos of downtown buildings. By the time of the first public meeting on September 9, 2019, the team had completed photography, architectural descriptions, and histories of the first twenty-five buildings in the survey. The meeting’s main objective was to explain the survey process to the public and share early findings. The team submitted a draft report of its findings to the Kansas SHPO on November 4, 2019, more than one month before the project deadline. The SHPO provided comments on December 6. The team shared its findings at a second public meeting on December 11. Because there were many in attendance that had not been at the September 9 meeting, the team reviewed the survey process, summarized the history of downtown Marion, and discussed next steps and recommendations." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the Kansas State Historical Society, administered by the State, Tribal, Local Plans and Grants division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior (grant number P19AF00217).

Downtown Marion - 2019 Historic Resources Survey

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