The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1922-07-01

Marion, O., July 1~Marion, home
town of President Harding, is 100
years old tomorrow. and in honor of
the event sons and daughters who
have wandered far into every state
of the Union and into foreign lands
are back here to help this sprighly
Middle Western city celebrate its CEN
tenary. Its most distinguished son
was not here for the inauguration of
the event. but will be here July to
again mingle with home folk for the
first time since he entered the White
House. Of course, Mrs. Harding will
accompany the President.
The celebration, which begins to-
morrow, will continue until Wednes-
day. Great plans have been laid
for the entertainment of the PreSl-
dent and Mrs. Harding, as well as the
thousands of other guests, some dis
tingUished and others merely resi-
dents of Main street who are coming
back for the event.
Marion, accustomed to big crowds
since her experience with the ia
nous front porch campaign of last
year, refuses, however, to become ex-
cited over the event. That eXper-
ience-when she became temporarily
the Mecca of thousands before cleo
ton and the actual. if not titular, cap
ital of the nation after election had
elevated one of her sons 10 the Presi-
dency-compIately changed the
town.
Before that time Marion was just
a typical 80 o'clock town. but now
| it is somewhat blase and insists upon
twelve courses whether it is Presi-
dental year. centennial year, leap
| year or any other year
Town Has Changed.
| Visitors who fastened to Marion
| last year. when the town was the
centre from which President Harding
will be agreeably surprised at the
| changes brought about in a year
| Since it has been so signa11y honored
| the toSn has put everything in ZAP
| ple,pfe" order and there is not a city
| in the United States more immacu-
! late than the one that will greet the
| eyes of the early arrivals for tomor-
| rows celebration.
OF course. the front porch" of
the Harding residence-stage of
| many important addresses during the
| campaign of two years ago-wi1I be
| the great attraction for the gathering
| throngs, although it will not, in all
| probability, house the President when
! he returns for the event. When mr..
year stay in Washington the Harding
| home was leased to Millard Hunt
president of the Chamber of Com
| MERGE.
One pleasing change to the out-of-
| town visitor will be the new hotel,
long badly needed, which is rapidly
nearing completion. This is the
the Chief Executive.
| 1t might be said in passing that the
first building erected in Marion was a
tavern" when the town plan was
| laid out in 1922. 1t was a double
log cabin, and in the same year Eber
Baker added a one-and-one-half story
hewed 1oghouse in front, and here
the early visitors to Marion found
entertainment for both man and
beast.
Harding Comes as Citizen.
Il President Harding will spend his
brief visit here as a citizen of Marion
and not as Chief Executive of tbs
nation, far that is possible, il
| is officially announced. Arriving here
some time Monday or early Tuesday
morning, no definite announcement
has yet been made as to where hi
will be entertained, although it il
thought likely he will spend tn
greater part of his time at White