Travel: Marietta, Ohio's oldest city, blends fascinating history with modern amenities (2024)

Travel: Marietta, Ohio's oldest city, blends fascinating history with modern amenities (1)

MARIETTA —The confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers proved an auspicious location for Ohio’s first enduring pioneer town, built in what was then the wilderness of the Northwest Territory.

Today’s day-trip pioneers will still find it an inviting destination, but will have a much easier time getting there, much less finding a good meal or cup of coffee.

Founded in 1788, Marietta is the oldest city in the Buckeye State. Modern visitors will find a lively and picturesque river town, but with fascinating traces of history remaining from those pioneer days —and even before.

The rivers that brought those first pioneers to the site are still inviting. The Rivertrail Bike and Pedestrian Path leads visitors for 4.5 miles along the banks of the Ohio and Muskingum rivers, through downtown Marietta and to many pretty parks, interesting attractions, historic sites and businesses.

Travel: Marietta, Ohio's oldest city, blends fascinating history with modern amenities (2)

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Another great way to explore the area is aboard the Valley Gem Sternwheeler (www.valleygemsternwheeler.com), a tour boat that offers a variety of trips on both rivers.

River history, especially that of the romantic steamboat days, is on display next door to the Valley Gem dock at the Ohio River Museum (which, yes, is on the banks of the Muskingum River, but close enough to the Ohio to hear a steamboat whistle.)

The museum (www.mariettamuseums.org) contains many detailed scale models of original steamboats and tells the stories of some of the most fascinating steamboat captains, including Mary B. Greene, an area native who became the first licensed female steamboat captain on the Ohio or Mississippi rivers in the late 19th century.

Travel: Marietta, Ohio's oldest city, blends fascinating history with modern amenities (3)

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And visitors can tour the restored W.P. Snyder, the last sternwheel towboat in the United States, now docked just outside the museum.

Marietta also hosts a large Sternwheel Festival (www.sternwheel.org) each year, with authentic paddlewheelers visiting from ports near and far. This year’s festival is scheduled Sept. 9-11.

Marietta’s connections to the riverboat era are certainly fascinating and thought-provoking, but after a look back, visitors will undoubtedly be happy to reenter the 21st century for dining, shopping and lodging.

Overnight visitors will find many hotels and motels in and around Marietta, including the historic riverfront Lafayette Hotel (www.lafayettehotel.com), built in 1918 and decorated to remind visitors of the golden age of riverboats; and the lovely boutique Hackett Hotel (www.GalleyAdelphiaHackett.com).

Travel: Marietta, Ohio's oldest city, blends fascinating history with modern amenities (4)

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Good food is available at locations such as the scenic riverfront Levee House Bistro (www.leveehousebistro.com) and The Galley at the Hackett Hotel and The Gun Room at the Lafayette.

For a good cup of joe, check out Jeremiah’s Coffee House (www.jeremiahscoffeehouse.com). And beer lovers should certainly visit the Marietta Brewing Co. brewpub (www.mbcpub.com).

Once visitors have wet their whistles and silenced the grumblings in their tummies, they may find themselves refreshed enough to delve a bit more into Marietta’ illustrious and voluminous past.

Just a block from the Ohio River Museum is the Campus Martius Museum, built on the original site of Campus Martius, a blockade constructed by the first settlers for protection from the native inhabitants they were displacing.

Travel: Marietta, Ohio's oldest city, blends fascinating history with modern amenities (5)

The three-story museum (www.mariettamuseums.org) tells the story of those first pioneers and the challenges they faced.

One wing of the museum surrounds the original log home of Rufus Putnam, a Revolutionary War general who was a town founder. The home, built in 1790 as part of the original Campus Martius stockade, is one of the oldest remaining houses in the state.

Another structure on the museum grounds, the Ohio Company Land Office, is even older. The office, which contains a display about early land surveying and sales, was built in 1788 and is in the running for oldest existing building in Ohio.

The museum also delves into the history of the region both before and after the town’s founding, with displays about the original Indian inhabitants as well as the 19th and 20th century migrants who came, mostly from the South, to work in America’s industrial heartland.

Travel: Marietta, Ohio's oldest city, blends fascinating history with modern amenities (6)

Another short walk takes visitors to lovely Mound Cemetery, located, as the name would suggest, around a large, 2,000-year-old Adena Indian burial mound. Many of Marietta’s early pioneers — including more Revolutionary War veterans than at any other cemetery — are buried near the ancient monument, a peaceful proximity of cultures that the living, sadly, were never able to accomplish.

For more information about the area, visit www.mariettaohio.org.

Steve Stephens is a freelance travel writer and photographer. Email him at sjstephensjr@gmail.com.

Travel: Marietta, Ohio's oldest city, blends fascinating history with modern amenities (2024)

FAQs

Travel: Marietta, Ohio's oldest city, blends fascinating history with modern amenities? ›

Travel: Marietta, Ohio's oldest city, blends fascinating history with modern amenities. MARIETTA — The confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers proved an auspicious location for Ohio's first enduring pioneer town, built in what was then the wilderness of the Northwest Territory.

Why is Marietta, Ohio famous? ›

Founded in 1788 by pioneers to the Ohio Country, Marietta was the first permanent U.S. settlement in the newly established Northwest Territory, created in 1787, and what would later become the state of Ohio. It is named for Marie Antoinette, then Queen of France, in honor of French aid in the American Revolution.

What is the oldest city in Ohio? ›

Established in 1788, Marietta is the oldest city in the state of Ohio, and the first official American settlement territory north and west of the Ohio River. Known as the “Riverboat Town,” it is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum rivers.

What is the oldest house in Marietta, Ohio? ›

Rufus Putnam House
Built1788
Part ofMarietta Historic District (ID74001646)
NRHP reference No.70000524
Significant dates
Added to NRHPNovember 10, 1970
12 more rows

Who were the first settlers in Marietta, Ohio? ›

These pioneers included notable Ohio names like Rufus Putnam (co-founder of the Company) and Colonel Return J. Meigs (surveyor and father of a future Ohio governor), along with men who had served in the Revolutionary War and were selected by Putnam and his co-founder, Manasseh Cutler, to help settle this new territory.

Why is Marietta famous? ›

The charming and historic Marietta Square, serving as the city's central hub, is a well-known feature of Marietta. The square has quaint shops, delicious restaurants, and beautiful architecture. Visitors can enjoy live music, art festivals, and various events throughout the year in this vibrant and lively area.

Who is the most famous person from Marietta? ›

Travis Tritt

Travis Tritt was born on 9 February 1963 in Marietta, Georgia, USA. He is a music artist and actor, known for Blues Brothers 2000 (1998), My Cousin Vinny (1992) and The Mule (2018).

What is the oldest house still standing in Ohio? ›

The district is home to The Betts House, the oldest brick home in Ohio (1804), and the oldest Jewish cemetery west of Pennsylvania (1821). Cincinnati Art Museum. Located in scenic Eden Park, the Cincinnati Art Museum features a diverse, encyclopedic art collection of more than 67,000 works spanning 6,000 years.

Where is the oldest house still standing in the United States? ›

Fairbanks House (Dedham, Massachusetts)
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap Interactive map showing the location of Fairbanks House
Location511 East Street, Dedham, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°14′36″N 71°10′04″W
Builtca. 1637
Significant dates
10 more rows

What was founded in 1978 in Marietta? ›

The Home Depot, Inc. February 6, 1978 in Marietta, Georgia, U.S.

What is the ethnicity of Marietta Ohio? ›

Population & Diversity

In 2022, there were 40.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (12.3k people) in Marietta, OH than any other race or ethnicity. There were 302 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 265 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

What is the sister city of Marietta Ohio? ›

Mayor Josh Schlicher stands by the sign noting Marietta is the Sister City to Rutland.

What Indian tribes lived around Marietta Ohio? ›

In Marietta, over 2000 years ago, ancient peoples lived in what is now Washington County and archaeologists believe that these natives were part of the Hopewell and Adena tribes. Marietta is thought to be a sacred ceremonial center where these natives built multiple ceremonial mounds.

What famous people went to Marietta High School? ›

Notable alumni
  • Murray Attaway (born 1957), American musician.
  • Harrison Bailey (born 2001), American football player.
  • Benjamin Bottoms (1913–1942), United States Coast Guardsman.
  • Jim Cagle (born 1952), American football player.
  • Mike Edwards (1931–2016), American editor and writer and senior editor for National Geographic.

Is Marietta Ohio a nice place to live? ›

Marietta is a wonderful college town. The diversity and small-town feeling of the town provides safety. Nice area in town and in some surrounding areas. Beautiful downtown area, with a lot of historical buildings, houses, roads, and other areas.

Is Marietta, Ohio named after Marie Antoinette? ›

Located within 500 miles of 60% of our nation's population on the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers, Marietta was established in 1788 as the first permanent settlement of the Northwest Territory. The city was named after Marie Antoinette in honor of France's role in the Revolutionary War.

Is Marietta, Ohio worth visiting? ›

Downtown Marietta is home to a variety of local shops and restaurants, making it the perfect place to spend a day exploring. And no visit to Marietta would be complete without taking a scenic riverboat ride down the Ohio River.

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