Three buildings that have been a part of downtown Marion for 100 years are now reduced to a pile of rubble after a recent fire.

"Right now, it's an eye sore," said Cheryl Miller of Marion.

City officials had to level three buildings following a fire last Friday.

They say the exterior walls were in danger of collapsing.

The demolition left a huge hole in the center of downtown - which residents say changes the fabric of the town's historic district.

"Main Street has looked virtually the same since I was walking back and forth to school," said Rosanne Black, the Marion Museum Director.

Rosanne black grew up in Marion and is the director of the county museum.

"We have a deep history, a wonderful history," added Black.

And that history is detailed in scores of records at the Marion County Archives and History Center.

The three buildings that burned down last week were built in the early 1900's.

Jacob Tobia, 19, is a college student in Marion working at the museum on a history project. He has talked with many about the loss of the historic buildings.

"People will have memories forever but not having the physical space to kind of bring those back. I think it's such a huge loss and, so, I guess I'd say that's what it means for a 100 year building to burn down," said Tobia.

And although they believe downtown Marion will bounce back, they admit that a part of its history is gone.

Downtown Marion was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.