Amazing Treasures | Explore theater, museum, park

MARION – Despite the rainy weather, you can still visit the Amazing Treasures sites, rain or shine. I visited four this week and learned so much more about Marion. They were the Marion Palace Theatre, Edward Huber Machinery Museum, Veterans Memorial Park and the Stephen J. Chaney VFW Post 7201.

Each of these four locations has great history, but still are important features in our lives today.

The Marion Palace Theatre is an incredible architectural wonder in downtown Marion. It is worth your time to visit just to see the wonderful details inside the theater. But beyond the beauty of the building, the wide variety of programs it brings to our community will astound you. The largest summer musical to date, “Mary Poppins,” will be presented in mid-July.

At the end of July, the digital projection project will be completed, bringing movies back to the large screen. There is so much with concerts, plays and more. For a full schedule, visit www.marionpalace.org.

To maintain the Palace is not an easy task. Think about becoming a member, a sponsor or a donor. The marquee restoration project is so close to meeting its goal, but it needs your help. With the help of state capital budget funding and generous donations from the friends of the Palace, they have raised most of the funding. They only need $187,000 more to “Relight the Palace Marquee.” It adds so much to the downtown’s beauty and character. Think about supporting this cultural wonder.

The Huber Machinery Museum is at the Marion County Fairground. Hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays. A wonderful group of volunteers maintain this treasure and serve as tour guides through this piece of history. You get to see Huber’s and Marion’s contribution to the world from the early days of hay rakes to tractors to its contribution to the space program, the Crawler. Each piece of equipment is beautifully restored to its original glory. Don’t miss this wonderful museum.

The last two locations I visited will make you think about the price we pay for our freedom and way of life. The Veterans Memorial Park recognizes the sacrifices of local Americans have given from the earliest days of this county up through the war on terrorism. Take a moment to walk this scenic park and give a silent prayer of thanks to the many men and women who sacrificed their lives so we may have our freedom.

At the VFW Post 7201, there is so much to see. There is a Huey Cobra Gun Ship helicopter in the front, where it has been since 2005. You don’t want to miss the 48-foot long mural, painted by Dorian Traynham, depicting scenes from World War I to the Iraq wars. And in the back there is a 2-acre field of poppies, which must be striking in bloom, a symbol of remembrance, since the trench warfare in the poppy fields of France during World War I. It is a fitting tribute to those who have served our country.

Hope to see you along the way as we discover Marion County’s Amazing Treasures.