Ehlezi edolobheni laseNashville, ngaphandle kwe-Interstate 65, abagibeli badlula iqembu lezakhiwo ezinikeza izinkomba ezincane kuphela ekuveleleni kwabo okudlule. UBarry Walker, umnikazi wamanje wezakhiwo, u-intshi enokuthula uhamba ngendlela yakhe, ubuyisela izakhiwo enkazimulweni yazo yangaphambili.
Isakhiwo esiyinhloko sakhiwa ngo-1881 ngokuthi "I-Phoenix Cotton Mill" nayo yaziwa ngokuthi iMartin Cotton Mill. Ngo-1910 isakhiwo sasingenamuntu.
Ukuphuza ngokweqile eJackson Tennessee, kwakuyinkampani yokukhiqiza eyaqala ngo-1874 ngaphansi kwegama; I-Sherman Manufacturing Company, kamuva yathengiswa futhi yaqanjwa kabusha ngokuthi "i-Southern Engine ne-Boiler Works" Efaka ngo-1884, ikhiqiza izinjini ze-petroli nama-boilers.
Ngonyaka ka-1904, bebeyisakhi esikhulu kunawo wonke salo, esizweni. Ukwakhiwa kwempumelelo yezinjini zabo, nokuchuma kwenkampani yabo, ngo-1906 iNingizimu yaseNingizimu Afrika yaqala ukukhiqizwa kwezimoto zabo zokuqala, eyakhiwe inguquko onguchwepheshe uWilliam H. Collier.
Ngo-1910 izimoto ezingu-600 zenziwa ngaphansi kwegama le-Southerns.
I-Southern Engine ne-Boiler Isebenza ngokuphumelela ngemoto yabamba ukunakwa kwe-Nashville Businessman, u-Augustus H. Robinson, owaqoqa iqembu labatshalizimali abathengisa imoto yezimoto futhi bayithuthela esakhiweni sasePhoenix Cotton Mill.
Kwafundwa ukuthi omunye umkhiqizi ukhiqiza izimoto ezibizwa ngokuthi iSouth, ngakho uWilliam Collier wabiza ngokuthi izimoto zakhe "Marathon" ngokuhlonishwa kwama-Olympic ka-1904.
Lapho ukuthutha sekuphelile, iMarathon yandisa umugqa wayo kusukela ku-A9 Touring Car, kanye ne-B9 Rumble isihlalo se-Roadster. Ngo-1911 kwakhiwa ama-models amahlanu, futhi ngo-1913 beye bafika kwaba model 12 ezahlukene. Imoto yayiyimpumelelo egcwele emphakathini, futhi ukukhiqiza kwakungenakuhambisana nokufuna.
I-Marathon yayinezidayisi kuwo wonke amadolobha amakhulu eMelika; ngo-1912 base befinyelele amandla okukhiqiza kwezimoto ezingu-200 nyangazonke, ngezinhlelo ze-10,000 ngonyaka.
Nakuba ikusasa lalibonakala likhanyisa iMashathon Motor Works, lokho okwakubonakala ngemuva kwezigcawu kwakungafani neze.
Ngo-1913 uWilliam Collier wafaka amacala okuphatha ngokungalungile nabahlinzeki abakhokhiwe. Le nkampani ibonile abameli abathathu eminyakeni emine. Ngokutshala izimali ezimbi kanye nezinqumo zokuphatha, inkampani yayisebunzimeni obukhulu bezezimali. Ukukhiqizwa eNashville sekuphelile ngo-1914. Yonke leyo mishini yagcina ithengwa yi-Indiana Automakers, iThe Herf Brothers, eyayikhiqiza enye imoto e-Indianapolis, egama layo linguHerf-Brooks. Ayaziwa ukuthi zingaki amaMarathoni akhiqizwa, yize kuphela amasampula ayisishiyagalombili ayaziwa ukuthi ukhona namuhla.
Isakhiwo seMarathon seNashville sahlala sivulekile, sakhiwa izingxenye zamathambo kwaze kwaba ngo-1918. Isakhiwo sahlala singenamuntu kwaze kwafika ngo-1922 lapho sathengwa yi-Werthan Bag Company futhi sagcwaliswa ngemishini yokukhiqiza isikhwama sekotini. I-Southern Engine neBoiler Works Company yase Jackson wayebuye futhi ekhuthaze ingxenye yayo yezinkinga zemali. Ngo-1917 inkampani yathengiswa kumtshali wezimali waseCleveland Ohio.
Ngo-1918 ukuhlukaniswa kwemikhumbi kwadayiswa futhi kwaziwa ngokuthi iNingizimu Supply Company.
Ngo-1922 izingxenye ezisele zenkampani enye kanye eyathengiwe yathengwa nguWilliam H. Collier; osebenza nge-Southern Engine ne-Boiler Works kuze kuphele ukuphela kwayo ngo-1926.Barry Walker; umhlobo waseJackson uthenge izakhiwo zeMarathon eNashville ngo-1990. Ubuye wathola izakhiwo zase-Southern Engine neBoiler Works eJackson. UTennessee Wahlala ngaphandle kwezezimoto zokukhiqiza ngezimoto kuze kufike uNissan Motors (Smyrna) ngo-1981 futhi kamuva uSaturn Corp. ( Spring Hill) ngo-1985. Namuhla ukukhiqiza ngokuzenzakalela yiyona imboni eyishumi kunazo zonke eTennessee.