Places

Four generations of the Ballinger family have worked to preserve a historic local treasure. The True Home at the corner of State and Church Streets stands out with its gables and white picket fences bursting with colorful flowers. “My mother loved geraniums so my father would plant lots of them,” said Rex Ballinger, the current […]

Just in time for holiday shopping, a new toy store has opened in downtown Marion. Lindsey Henry, a former kindergarten teacher, owns LuLu’s Toy Co. at 196 West Center Street. “I love kids, I love creative play, and I love helping parents and grandparents select unique toys that are quality, durable, and not available in […]

  (Marion) The Huber Machinery Museum at the Marion County Fairgrounds takes visitors on a journey from the 1800s, when hay was cut by hand with a scythe, through more than 150 years of Marion history, changes, and innovation. Visitors see how a local inventor sparked the creation of tractors, steam shovels, threshers, and eventually […]

In 1977, a group of individuals had a vision of a community pool for the Village of Waldo. In 1978, they proposed a campaign of “Swim with Waldo,” a theme that has stayed with the pool. Through years of fundraising including chicken barbecues, community garage sales, pledges, “Swim with Waldo” t-shirts sales, and many volunteer […]

For 50 years, Cummins Facility Services (CFS) has been part of the Marion Community. Founded in 1972 by local residents Ron and Myra Cummins at their kitchen table, CFS started by providing janitorial services and floor care to local businesses. Ron took great pride in making old surfaces look new again. Myra worked hard on […]

Jason Kirkman and Adam Wolfe graduated from Elgin in 2001. Both were part of the construction trades program at Tri-Rivers with Mike Hock and Dan Tripp. Right out of high school, Kirkman and Wolfe began conversations about starting their own company. “In 2003, we started the business, and my contribution was the name,” said Kirkman. […]