[4] The city was named in honor of Francis Marion, a brigadier general of the American Revolutionary War, known as the "Swamp Fox".

[5] For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by Native Americans.

In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

In 1806, Zebulon Pike led the Pike Expedition westward from St Louis, Missouri, of which part of their journey followed the Cottonwood River through Marion County near the current cities of Florence, Marion, Durham.

[8] A post office was established on September 30, 1862, which shortened the name to Marion on October 15, 1881.

[10] As early as 1875, city leaders of Marion held a meeting to consider a branch railroad from Florence.

[11] The line was leased and operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

The original branch line connected Florence, Marion, Canada, Hillsboro, Lehigh, Canton, Galva, McPherson, Conway, Windom, Little River, Mitchell, Lyons, Chase, Ellinwood.

In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a branch line north-south from Herington through Marion to Caldwell.

A hotel was built near the site of the spa at Chingawasa Springs, and a depot and eatery as well.

Both Santa Fe and Rock Island offered round trip fares from Chicago and western cities to Chingawasa Springs.

An economic panic in 1893 closed down the health spa and hotel, and quarry business along the tracks never developed sufficiently.

[14][15] The National Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, was established in 1912, and was routed through Lehigh, Hillsboro, Marion and Lost Springs.

In June and July 1951, due to heavy rains, rivers and streams flooded numerous cities in Kansas, including Marion.

Many reservoirs and levees were built in Kansas as part of a response to the Great Flood of 1951.

[16][17][18] Marion is located in the scenic Flint Hills and Great Plains of the state of Kansas.

[19] The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.

[20] The 2020 United States census counted 1,922 people, 860 households, and 502 families in Marion.

Nearby recreational areas: The Marion government consists of a mayor and four council members.

A regional Kansas Department of Transportation office is located on the north side of Marion at the corner of U.S. Route 56 and Cedar Street.

The Oklahoma Kansas Texas (OKT)[52] line of the Union Pacific Railroad runs north-south through the city.