Formed January 1, 1860 (152nd county)
Marion County (9,728), Jefferson (1,877)
The columned, Texas Renaissance and Classical Revival style of the county courthouse was built in 1912. It is located on Polk between Dallas and Austin streets. Elmer George Withers designed this structure. A supporting facility houses an additional courtroom. Jefferson has been the location for the two courthouses the county has had since it was created on January 1, 1860. The county was taken from parts of Cass and Harrison counties as the 152nd county. Marion County is named Francis Marion of American Revolutionary fame. Jefferson is named for United States President Thomas Jefferson. He is also namesake for Jefferson County.
Marion County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners. One District Court Judge serves Marion and Upshur counties, One District Court Judge serves Marion, Camp, Morris, and Titus counties, and One County Court Judge serves Marion County. The county is in East Texas pine area with Louisiana directly to the east. The Cypress River goes through the county from west to east and makes part of the southern border. Tyler, Texas is west and Shreveport, Louisiana is east of the county. The county center is 5.9 miles Northwest of Jefferson. The county is surrounded clockwise by Cass County and Louisiana and Harrison, Upshur, and Morris counties.
The area of the county is 381 square miles. It is 244 out of 254 in the state. It ranks 167 out of 254 in population in the state. It has a density of 25.5 persons per square mile making it 114 out of 254 in the state. Marion County has 19.3% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 59 goes from Cass County, on the north, into Harrison County, on the south. A flat rectangle shape, except for the river border, has Jefferson near the southern border. Jefferson is the county seat and, as the only incorporated city, it is the largest city. It is 19.3% of the county population.
Jefferson
