Uptown Marion Iowa, fun on the square!
Starting out with a wonderful scone and hot tea at Wit’s End Coffeehouse was a great way to kick off our morning in Marion, Iowa. 
My mom and I hit the town after touring Cedar Rapids and before heading to the beautiful Brucemore Mansion. We needed a little tea sipping and shopping therapy. Wit’s End is located in a neat older home just off the square. They offer great places to sit and sip. There were lots of people gathering for morning chit chat while we were there with others burrowed down with their mocha and reading the paper. The atmosphere says sit and enjoy!
The City of Marion was founded in 1839 as the county seat for the newly established Linn County. Some of this history is on display in the town square in the way of the former train depot that is being used as a depot. I dragged mom across to view it along with the caboose on display.
The Uptown Marion website shared history about the railroad stating that steam arrived in Marion in 1864. After the Dubuque, Southwestern Railway arrived in Marion local Marion business men wanted a larger and more dependable railway through Marion. After serious negotiation and much hard work, the “Milwaukee Railroad” arrived in Marion in December 1827. Below is a picture of what the 1886 Depot and Roundhouse looked like. (picture courtesy of Uptown Marion).
Thankfully Marion citizens were concerned when the railroad left Marion, for good, in the late 20th century, that the depot was to be torn down. In 1987 citizens acquired the building, moving the roof intact to the south side of City Park in 1988, where it stands today. Many of the bricks were cleaned and reclaimed to form the structure under the roof. This makes for a lovely pavilion. 
We enjoyed walking around the square and stopping and shopping in a few of the shops. We tried out Lillians and enjoyed the wide variety of items and unique jewelry.
The area has lots of lovely items. We stopped to view the Butterfly mural behind the chocolate shop before heading out! This is a charming area with lots to do uptown!
