Benton marker to commemorate George Harrison visit

BENTON, Ill. — A half century since he was the Beatle in Benton, the late George Harrison is will be memorialized in the southern Illinois city.

The (Carbondale) Southern Illinoisan reports the Franklin County city of 7,000 will unveil a historical marker Sept. 21 commemorating the late George Harrison’s 1963 visit to his sister, Linda Harrison Caldwell. That sister is to attend the dedication.

Harrison’s stay in Benton occurred while the Beatles were soaring up the charts in England, but before they made their ballyhooed trip to the United States.

Illinois State Historical Society executive director William Furry says obscurity in America allowed Harrison to walk Benton’s streets, jam with local musicians, visit record stores and even camp in the Shawnee National Forest without being hassled by fans.