Marion

History

Marion, the county seat of McDowell County, was planned and built on land selected by the first McDowell County Commissioners on March 14, 1844 at the Historic Carson House on Buck Creek. It was not until 1845, however, that the official name of Marion was sanctioned as the county seat by the state legislature. The name of Marion came from Brigadier General Francis Marion, the American Revolutionary War hero, known as the "Swamp Fox" and the man upon whom the movie The Patriot was based. Marion was also home to Sgt. Daniel Kanipe, one of only two survivors of the Battle of Little Bighorn. An historical marker was placed in front of his former home in 2011. The nearby Lake James is a local tourist attraction, and has been the backdrop for movies such as The Last of the Mohicans and The Hunt for Red October. Another famous house in Marion is the Joseph McDowell House, built in 1787 by the county's namesake, Joseph McDowell. McDowell played a large role in the Battle of Cowpens when he helped defeat the British in January 1781. McDowell went on to serve as a member of the North Carolina Constitutional Convention in 1788 and was a member of the 3rd United States Congress. Restoration plans are underway to preserve this historic house and ensure that it remains a vital part of Marion's history. In 2010, the Joseph McDowell Greenway opened to the public along the Catawba River, and will soon link the two most historic homes in McDowell County, the Joseph McDowell House and the Carson House. The Big Fire Until the late 19th century, Main Street was a collection of mostly wooden huts, houses, and buildings. On Sunday morning, November 25, 1894 a fire sprang up in an old building known as the "Ark" located behind the Courthouse. The fire spread to Main Street and rushed down…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of .

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,779
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  2,758
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,712
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  2,640
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  2,569
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,605
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  1,565
• Red-eyed Vireo

  Vireo olivaceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  1,557

Largest nearby schools

• McDowell High School
  High · Marion · 1,416 students · 15.1:1 ratio
• West McDowell Middle School
  Middle · Marion · 605 students · 15.1:1 ratio
• East McDowell Middle School
  Middle · Marion · 468 students · 14.2:1 ratio
• Glenwood Elementary School
  Elementary · Marion · 437 students · 15.6:1 ratio
• West Marion Elementary School
  Elementary · Marion · 377 students · 12.6:1 ratio
• Marion Elementary School
  Elementary · Marion · 355 students · 14.2:1 ratio
• Nebo Elementary School
  Elementary · Nebo · 339 students · 14.1:1 ratio
• Pleasant Gardens Elementary School
  Elementary · Marion · 304 students · 13.8:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.73 — 2025-08-14
  7 km N of Columbus, North Carolina
• M 3.24 — 2023-06-04
  4 km NNW of West Canton, North Carolina
• M 2.76 — 2023-05-23
  4 km N of West Canton, North Carolina
• M 2.69 — 2022-12-08
  0 km S of Laurel Park, North Carolina
• M 2.65 — 2021-08-17
  6 km N of Morganton, North Carolina
• M 2.79 — 2021-02-12
  8 km SW of Banner Hill, Tennessee