Overview
Marietta is a city in Cobb County, Georgia, whose early development was closely tied to the Western & Atlantic Railroad.
The city was initially selected as a hub for the state-owned railroad, and construction of roadbed and trestles north of Marietta was underway by 1838. Construction was interrupted in 1840, and railroad management moved the hub south in 1842 to the area that developed into Atlanta. When the Western & Atlantic began operating through Marietta in 1850, the railroad contributed to the city’s growth and prosperity.
Marietta incorporated in 1852, with businessman John Glover elected mayor. Marietta suffered extensive damage during the Civil War. Union forces occupied the area during the Atlanta Campaign in 1864, and fires destroyed portions of the city. Nearby industrial sites, including the Marietta Paper Mills along Sope Creek, were also destroyed.
Attraction
Big Chicken
The Big Chicken, located along Cobb Parkway in southern Marietta, is a true Atlanta landmark.
Attraction
Glover Machine Works Locomotive
Marietta’s own Glover Machine Works built locomotive No. 81421 in 1916.
Attraction
Hargrove Cemetery
Along a busy stretch of Windy Hill Road lies a 19th century cemetery, the last vestages of the antebellum residence of Asbury Hargrove.
Attraction
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park offers the opportunity to connect with an important time in American history and a free outdoor experience.
Attraction
Maloney Springs Cemetery
Maloney Springs Cemetery, located in the Fair Oaks community between Marietta and Smyrna, likely dates to the 1850s.
Attraction
Marietta City Cemetery
The Marietta City Cemetery, adjacent to Marietta Confederate Cemetery, was established in the 1830s.
Attraction
Marietta Confederate Cemetery
As the Civil War dragged on, wounded soldiers from the battles that ravaged North Georgia were taken to Marietta to be buried.
Attraction
Marietta Fire Museum
The story of fighting fires in Marietta, Ga., from bucket brigades to pumper and ladder trucks, is on display at the Marietta Fire Museum.
Attraction
Marietta Museum of History
The Marietta Museum of History is housed in a former cotton warehouse and hotel.
Attraction
Marietta National Cemetery
Marietta National Cemetery is a federal cemetery in Marietta, Georgia, established for Union soldiers who died during the Civil War.
Attraction
William Root House Museum
The William Root House Museum & Garden showcases what life was like for a middle-class Georgia family during the 1860s.
