Known as "College City," Marion is the county seat of Perry County and is located in the westcentral part of Alabama. Marion is home to Judson College and the Marion Military Institute and was the founding location of several other higher educational institutions. The city government consists of a mayor and five-person city council.
History


In 1841, Howard College (now Samford University in Birmingham) relocated from Greensboro to Marion and operated there until 1887. When it closed, Howard president James T. Murfee remained and turned the facility into the Marion Military Institute.
Marion's earliest newspaper, the Whig Party's Southern Herald, was first published in 1837 by John Oswald, a Marion dentist. In 1839, Oswald changed the title to the Marion Herald and subsequently sold it to Robert E. Love, who transformed it into the political voice of area Democrats. This newspaper has evolved into the current Marion Times-Standard.

In 1867, nine former slaves from Perry County founded the Lincoln School to educate African American children in the region. Its most famous alumna was Coretta Scott King. As part of the integration process in Marion and Perry County, the Lincoln School was officially closed in May 1970.

Demographics
According to 2016 Census estimates, Marion recorded a population 3,507. Of that number, 62.7 percent identified themselves as African American, 34.3 percent as white, 1.9 percent as Hispanic or Latino, 1.9 percent as two or more races, 0.5 percent as Asian, and 0.1 percent as Native American. The city's median household income was $27,088, and per capita income was $11,929.
Employment
According to 2016 Census estimates, the workforce in Marion was divided among the following industrial categories
· Educational services, and health care and social assistance (28.2 percent)
· Manufacturing (24.6 percent)
· Arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services (13.3 percent)
· Public administration (10.0 percent)
· Construction (7.5 percent)
· Finance, insurance, and real estate, rental, and leasing (6.3 percent)
· Retail trade (6.0 percent)
· Other services, except public administration (2.1 percent)
· Transportation and warehousing and utilities (2.0 percent)
· Manufacturing (24.6 percent)
· Arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services (13.3 percent)
· Public administration (10.0 percent)
· Construction (7.5 percent)
· Finance, insurance, and real estate, rental, and leasing (6.3 percent)
· Retail trade (6.0 percent)
· Other services, except public administration (2.1 percent)
· Transportation and warehousing and utilities (2.0 percent)
Education

Transportation
Marion is served by County Road 14, which runs east-west through the town, and County Road 5/183, which runs north-southwest.
Events and Places of Interest

Judson College is home to the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame, located in Bean Hall. The Lincoln Museum houses memorabilia and historic items from the Lincoln Normal School and is located on the former site of the school. Marion Military Institute is home to the Alabama Military Hall of Honor Museum, which displays portraits and artifacts related to inductees. The Mt. Tabor AME Church is home to the Coretta Scott King Memorial. Douglas-Moore Memorial Park has baseball fields, a playground, and nature walks.
Additional Resources
Harris, W. Stuart. Perry County Heritage. Marion, Ala.: Perry County Historical and Preservation Society, 1991.
Additional Resources
Harris, W. Stuart. Perry County Heritage. Marion, Ala.: Perry County Historical and Preservation Society, 1991.
Perry County Heritage Book Committee. The Heritage of Perry County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 1999.