This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Miracle in a bathroom saves Marion family from tornado
In Marion, the Blankenship family hid in a bathroom as a tornado struck their Marsella Drive home. The roof and walls tore away, but the room with the tub remained intact, enabling the family to survive while neighbors were warned and aid arrived. Regional destruction harmed Conant, Marion, and nearby towns with at least 13 dead and over 200 injured. Authorities planned disaster and possible federal aid as search and rescue continued through the night.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ann Schottman Knol
Southern Illinoisan
Michael
Marie
Blankenship
Marsella Drive
Marion
Illinois
Conant
Perry County
James Thompson
George A. Williams
Taco Gringo’s
Marion Plaza
P.N. Hirsch
Town and Country
Shawnee Village
Creen
Illinois 13
Herrin
E. Eric Jones
Illinois Emergency Services and Disaster Agency
National
Kinkaid Lake
Percy
Randolph County
Pinckneyville
Firmin Desloge Hospital
St. Louis
Scott Air Force Base
Belleville
Tom Redickas
Williamson County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency
Carterville
Illinois 166
Redickas
Illinois 148
Westmore Plaza
Town and Country Shopping Center
Boulevard Street
Luciene Jaeger
W. Boulevard St
McKinley School
Marion Memorial Hospital