Walter B. Eckenrod came to Marion in 1930 and opened Eckenrod Studio in rental space over the Roses 5, 10, and 25 cent store. By 1948, Walter had purchased land and built his own studio, the store we are still in today.

In 2001, we began the task of converting all of our stored negatives (some going back to the early 1930's) to an electronic database. As we built this catalog, we came to realize that certain prints held historical significance for Marion and McDowell County. Buildings that no longer exist, landscapes that have changed, and ways of life that are far from the pace that we move at today.

In 2003, we present the Heritage Collection. Currently 40 individual prints are available, chronicling the changing face of our community. More prints will certainly be added as the year progresses. You are welcome to come by our location at 41 East Court Street, Marion, and look through the prints. Some of my childhood is in there, maybe some of yours is too.

Eckenrod Studio's current store, as seen in the early 1950's.