Marietta, Ohio
Encyclopedia
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Washington County
Washington County, Ohio
Washington County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 61,778. Its county seat is Marietta. The county, the oldest in the state, is named for George Washington. Washington County is included in the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, West Virginia-Ohio...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country
Ohio Country
The Ohio Country was the name used in the 18th century for the regions of North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and in the region of the upper Ohio River south of Lake Erie...
established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory
The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...
. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth of the Muskingum River
Muskingum River
The Muskingum River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 111 miles long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. An important commercial route in the 19th century, it flows generally southward through the eastern hill country of Ohio...
at the confluence of the Ohio
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
and Muskingum rivers. The population was 14,085 at the 2010 census. It is the second-largest by population of three principal cities of and included in the Parkersburg
Parkersburg, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,099 people, 14,467 households, and 8,767 families residing in the city. In 2006 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Parkersburg's population had decreased 4.4% to 31,755. The population density was 2,800.5 people per square mile . There were 16,100 housing...
-Marietta-Vienna
Vienna, West Virginia
Vienna is a city in Wood County, West Virginia, along the Ohio River. It is a suburb of Parkersburg. The population was 10,749 at the 2010 census. It is the third largest city by population in the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna Metropolitan Statistical Area. Vienna was incorporated in 1935, and was...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
-Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
(part) Metropolitan Statistical Area
Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna metropolitan area
The Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in West Virginia and one in Ohio, anchored by the cities of Parkersburg, West Virginia, Marietta, Ohio, and Vienna, West Virginia...
.
History
In 1770, future U.S. president George WashingtonGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, then a surveyor, began exploring large tracts of land west of his native Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. During the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, Washington told his friend, General Rufus Putnam
Rufus Putnam
Rufus Putnam was a colonial military officer during the French and Indian War, and a general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
, of the beauty he had seen in his travels through the Ohio Valley and of his ideas for settling the territory. After the war, the newly formed country found itself with little money but plenty of natural resources, which led the new government to pay men who had served in the revolution not with cash but with warrants
Warrant (finance)
In finance, a warrant is a security that entitles the holder to buy the underlying stock of the issuing company at a fixed exercise price until the expiry date....
for land in the Northwest Territory. There was one problem with these warrants, however. The Federal Government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
did not own the land it offered until the passage of the Ordinance of 1787
Northwest Ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance was an act of the Congress of the Confederation of the United States, passed July 13, 1787...
which ceded ownership of the Northwest Territory to the government. The Ohio Company of Associates planned to buy 1.5 million acres (6,100 km²) of land from Congress with provisions it had written in the ordinance which allowed veterans to use their warrants to purchase the land.
On April 7, 1788, 48 men
American Pioneers to the Northwest Territory
American pioneers to the Northwest Territory included soldiers of the Revolution and members of the Ohio Company of Associates. During 1788 these pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta, Ohio as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory,...
of the Ohio Company of Associates
Ohio Company of Associates
The Ohio Company of Associates, also known as the Ohio Company, was a land company which is today credited with becoming the first non-American Indian group to settle in the present-day state of Ohio...
, led by Gen. Putnam, arrived at the confluence of the Muskingum
Muskingum River
The Muskingum River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 111 miles long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. An important commercial route in the 19th century, it flows generally southward through the eastern hill country of Ohio...
and Ohio river
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
s. The site was across the Muskingum River from Fort Harmar
Fort Harmar
Fort Harmar was an early United States frontier military fort, built in pentagonal shape during 1785 at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers, on the west side of the mouth of the Muskingum River. It was built under the orders of Josiah Harmar and took his name...
, a military outpost built three years prior.
Bringing with them the first government sanctioned by the United States, they established the first permanent American settlement in the Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory
The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...
. They named Marietta in honor of Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
, the Queen of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, who had aided the young country in its battle for independence from Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. The Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
were not pleased with the arrival of the settlers who immediately started construction of two forts, Campus Martius
Campus Martius (Ohio)
Campus Martius was a defensive fortification at the Marietta, Ohio settlement, and was home to Rufus Putnam, Benjamin Tupper, Arthur St. Clair, and other pioneers from the Ohio Company of Associates during the Northwest Indian War. Major Anselm Tupper was commander of the Campus Martius during the...
, which stood at the site of the museum which today bears its name
Campus Martius Museum
The Campus Martius Museum interprets Ohio history.Campus Martius was the second fortification in Marietta, Ohio and the first primarily for civilian defense. The Rufus Putnam House, incorporated in the Museum is the only remaining part of the fortification. The museum also includes the Ohio...
, and Picketed Point Stockade
Picketed Point Stockade
Picketed Point Stockade was the last of three fortificatons built at Marietta, Ohio. This defensive stockade was built by pioneers during the Northwest Indian War in 1791 on the east side of the mouth of the Muskingum River at its confluence with the Ohio River, and directly across the Muskingum...
, at the confluence
Confluence (geography)
In geography, a confluence is the meeting of two or more bodies of water. It usually refers to the point where two streams flow together, merging into a single stream...
of the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers. At the same time, a community was also being built in the wilderness from plans made before the group's departure from Boston.
In 1785, the Treaty of Fort Harmar
Treaty of Fort Harmar
The Treaty of Fort Harmar was an agreement between the United States government and numerous Native American tribes with claims to the Ohio Country. it was signed at Fort Harmar, near present-day Marietta, Ohio, on January 9, 1789. Representatives of the Six Nations and other groups including the...
was signed, bringing some resolve with several Native American nations in regards to trade, controversy and boundaries.
In 1787, Benjamin Franklin said, "I have never seen a grander river in all my life."
In 1788, George Washington said, "No colony in America was ever settled under such favorable auspices as that which has just commenced at the Muskingum...If I was a young man, just preparing to begin the world, or if advanced in life and had a family to make provision for, I know of no country where I should rather fix my habitation...".
The families of the settlers began arriving within a few months, as did Governor Arthur St. Clair
Arthur St. Clair
Arthur St. Clair was an American soldier and politician. Born in Scotland, he served in the British Army during the French and Indian War before settling in Pennsylvania, where he held local office...
who presided over this new territory, and, by the end of 1788, 137 people populated the area. The Treaty of Greenville
Treaty of Greenville
The Treaty of Greenville was signed at Fort Greenville , on August 3, 1795, between a coalition of Native Americans & Frontiers men, known as the Western Confederacy, and the United States following the Native American loss at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. It put an end to the Northwest Indian War...
was signed with the Native Americans in 1795, thus allowing the settlers to move from the safety of the fortresses and to spread out into the surrounding territory.
Marietta is home to the Great Mound, or Conus, built by the Mound Builders. The mound was preserved by the original pioneers and is contained within the Mound Cemetery, which is also home to the largest number of Revolutionary War officers buried in one location.
Religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
was important to these first settlers, who held services regularly; they chartered the first church in 1796, a Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
institution whose charter was unusually inclusive due to the varied religious backgrounds of its members. The congregation constructed the first church building in 1807.
Education was important to the settlers, many of whom had been officers during the Revolution, and were highly educated. That first winter saw the beginning of basic education for the children at Campus Martius. In 1797, Muskingum Academy was established. Marietta College
Marietta College
Marietta College is a co-educational private college in Marietta, Ohio, USA, which was the first permanent settlement of the Northwest Territory. The school offers 42 majors along with a large number of minors, all of which are grounded in a strong liberal arts foundation...
was chartered in 1835.
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
and commerce
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
. Boat building
Boat building
Boat building, one of the oldest branches of engineering, is concerned with constructing the hulls of boats and, for sailboats, the masts, spars and rigging.-Parts:* Bow - the front and generally sharp end of the hull...
was one of the early industries; even oceangoing vessels were constructed and sailed downriver to the Mississippi
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
and on to the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. Brick factories and sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s supplied materials for homes and public buildings. An iron mill, along with several foundries provided rails for the railroad industry; the Marietta Chair Factory made furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
.
In 1860, oil was first drilled in the Marietta region. Oil booms in 1875 and 1910 made investors rich, leading to the construction of many lavish houses, many of which still stand. One prominent Marietta oil family was the Dawes brothers, who founded the Pure Oil Company. All four brothers became nationally prominent businessmen or politicians - Charles Gates Dawes, Rufus C. Dawes
Rufus C. Dawes
Rufus Cutler Dawes was an American businessman from a prominent Ohio family.Dawes was born in Marietta, Ohio, to American Civil War Brigadier General Rufus R. Dawes and Mary Beman Dawes. He was a younger brother of Charles G. Dawes and great-great-grandson of Revolutionary War figure William Dawes...
, Beman Gates Dawes
Beman Gates Dawes
250px|right|thumbBeman Gates Dawes was a politician and oil executive who served two terms as a Republican Congressman from Ohio....
and Henry May Dawes. Charles Dawes served as the 30th Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
.
The Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad
Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad
The Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad is a defunct railroad of southern Ohio that was later absorbed by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad ....
(M&C) was a railroad of southern Ohio later absorbed by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
(B&O). The M&C started as The Belpre and Cincinnati Railroad (B&C) in 1845 to connect to the B&O at Parkersburg, W.V.-Belpre, Ohio. The Virginia government would only allow the B&O to go to the Ohio River at Wheeling, W.V. The planned route of the B&C was changed to Marietta and the name also changed in 1851. Right of way extended up river from Marietta to Bellaire, Ohio, for a connection to the B&O. The M&C was bankrupt by 1857 but continued west to reach Cincinnati. The first through train from Cincinnati ran on April 9, 1857.
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(PRR). To continue to the east on the B&O, one had to take a steamboat down river to Parkersburg. With help from the B&O and the Baltimore City Council, the Union Railroad connected Marietta to Belpre in 1860. It also was later absorbed by the B&O. This section of track is still in operation (2008) with unit coal trains providing most of the traffic. At one time in the 20th century, Marietta saw 24 passenger trains a day, most of which were on the PRR tracks. One of the main driving forces in the M&C was William P. Cutler
William P. Cutler
William Parker Cutler was a U.S. Representative from Ohio.Born in Marietta, Ohio, Cutler was the son of Ephraim Cutler, and grandson of Manasseh Cutler...
. He also was a backer of the Union Railroad
Union Railroad
The following railroads have been named Union Railroad or Union Railway, usually because they connected or merged several other railroads. See joint railway for the concept of a railroad owned by more than one company.Freight carriers...
and the Marietta, Columbus and Cleveland Railroad among other local railroads. Cutler served as General Manager and as President of the M&C for many years.
In 1880, the first Putnam Street Bridge
Putnam Street Bridge
The Putnam Street Bridge, also known as the Marietta Bridge, is a historical United States river crossing that connects Marietta, Ohio with its Fort Harmar district. The original 1880 bridge was the first free crossing of the Muskingum River. The 1913 bridge was a contributing structure to the...
was opened to connect Marietta to Fort Harmar, providing the first free crossing of the Muskingum.
As transportation advanced, Marietta was passed by. The B & O Railroad went through Parkersburg, West Virginia
Parkersburg, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,099 people, 14,467 households, and 8,767 families residing in the city. In 2006 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Parkersburg's population had decreased 4.4% to 31,755. The population density was 2,800.5 people per square mile . There were 16,100 housing...
, the National Road
National Road
The National Road or Cumberland Road was the first major improved highway in the United States to be built by the federal government. Construction began heading west in 1811 at Cumberland, Maryland, on the Potomac River. It crossed the Allegheny Mountains and southwestern Pennsylvania, reaching...
went through Zanesville
Zanesville, Ohio
Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,586 at the 2000 census.Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road through present-day Ohio...
leaving Marietta off the main travel routes until 1967 with the opening of I-77.
In 1939, the Sons and Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen
Sons and Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen
The Sons and Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen, or S&D, is an historical organization operating out of Marietta, OH. According to its website, it "was established in 1939 to perpetuate the memory of pioneer rivermen and for the preservation of river history." Its current president is Jeff Spear.S&D...
was established in Marietta to celebrate Marietta's substantial river history and the people who were a part of it. Two years later the Ohio River Museum
Ohio River Museum
The Ohio River Museum is a museum that interprets the history of the Ohio River. The museum is situated on the Muskingum River, near its confluence with the Ohio River, in Marietta, Ohio....
was opened. In 1972, the museum campus was totally redesigned.
Local government
The city of Marietta uses the mayor-councilMayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
form of government. The mayor is a full-time position; the seven city council members and the city council president are all part-time positions. The city is divided into four wards, with a person from each ward elected to the council. In addition, there is a non-voting city council president and three voting at-large councilmen.
Democrat Michael "Moon" Mullen is the current Mayor of Marietta. He followed Democrat Joseph Matthews, who was defeated in the 2003 Democratic primary by Mullen. Before becoming mayor, Mullen was an at-large member of city Council, having previously served the first ward on council and as the Marietta City Development Director. On November 2, 2003, Mullen was elected Mayor after defeating Republican challenger Cathy Harper and independent candidate Dan Harrison. Mullen took office in January 2004, and was reelected in 2007.
Al Miller is the current Safety Service Director of Marietta. He was appointed in January 2011 by Mullen.
The 2007 Mayoral race in Marietta was unusual in that no Republican candidate filed for the position. Former Mayor Joe Matthews challenged Mayor Mullen for the Democratic nomination but was defeated in the May 8th primary 55%-45%. 2003 Mayoral Candidate Dan Harrison filed to run for City Council President as an Independent but was excluded from the ballot after he voted in the Democratic primary thus removing his Independent status. In the November 6th general election, Mullen defeated two independent candidates, Chris Hansis and Rich Hudson. Hansis, a 26 year old newcomer to politics, took 27.13% of the vote and Hudson, owner of a local store, took 9.72%. Mullen took the balance of 63.15%.
| City Council of Marietta, Ohio (2008-2010 Term) |
||
| Council President | Paul Bertram III | Republican |
| At-Large | Harley Noland | Democrat |
| At-Large | Denver Abicht | Democrat |
| At-Large | Josh Schlicher | Republican |
| First Ward | David White | Republican |
| Second Ward | Mike McCauley | Democrat |
| Third Ward | Jon Grimm | Republican |
| Fourth Ward | Tom Vukovic | Democrat |
Schilcher replaced Councilman-at-Large Andy Thompson after Thompson was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives. However, Schlicher decided not to run for reelection but rather to run for Council President.
The 2011 election cycle sees the retirement from elected office of both Mayor Mullen and long time Councilwoman-at-Large Kathy Shively. Both declined to commit to new terms. Council President Paul Bertram not to seek reelection but rather to pursue the soon to be vacant position of City Law Director and 3rd Ward Councilman John Grimm is not seeking reelection but instead to run for Mayor. Kathy Shiveley resigned her position in May of 2011 and was replaced by Denver Abicht.
With the retirements and electoral decisions Marietta will have a council on which at least half of the eight Council positions will be held by new officeholders.
After winning a majority of council in the 2007 elections the Republican Party lost that majority in 2009 when Mike McCauley, a former Republican who switched parties to run as a democrat, defeated Ward 2 incumbent Randy Wilson. This places control of the City Council and the City Hall under control of the Democratic Party.
City of Marietta politics feature a number of citizens groups that influence policy and public opinion. Such groups of Citizens for Responsible Government, Citizen's Armory Preservation Society and Neighbors for Clean Air exercise significant influence over the government of the city.
401K plan contributions are taxed by the city at 1.7% and included as taxable income as the contributions are made, which is the opposite of the Federal and State governments. This means that if you retire outside of Marietta, you are taxed twice on your 401k; first as the money is contributed, second when it is distributed. (Marietta Municipal Income Tax Department - http://www.mariettaoh.net/government/tax). Marietta is determining whether it should begin charging for many of the services to the public which they already taxed for. ([Source: http://www.mariettatimes.com])
State and federal government
The residents of the city of Marietta are currently represented by former Council-at-Large Republican Andy Thompson in the Ohio House of Representatives and Republican Jimmy StewartJimmy Stewart (Ohio politician)
Jimmy Stewart is a Republican politician who served in the Ohio General Assembly. He served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2003 to 2008, and in the Ohio Senate from 2009 to 2011....
in the Ohio Senate. Senator Stewart won the 2008 election after defeating Democrat Rick Shriver.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, Marietta is represented by Republican Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson (Ohio politician)
William Leslie "Bill" Johnson is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and career:...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 8.6 square miles (22.2 km²), of which, 8.3 square miles (21.5 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.7 km²) of it (3.03%) is water.
The Muskingum River
Muskingum River
The Muskingum River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 111 miles long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. An important commercial route in the 19th century, it flows generally southward through the eastern hill country of Ohio...
and Duck Creek
Duck Creek (Ohio)
Duck Creek is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 30 mi long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. Via the Ohio River, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed...
flow into the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
at Marietta. The area is part of the Appalachian Plateau which covers the eastern half of Ohio. The Appalachian Plateau consists of steep hills and valleys and is the most rugged area in the state. This portion of the state is blessed with beautiful scenery and Ohio's most abundant mineral deposits. http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/oh_geography.htm
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 14,515 people, 5,904 households, and 3,501 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,747.0 people per square mile (674.4/km²). There were 6,609 housing units at an average density of 795.4 per square mile (307.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.31% White, 1.08% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.79% of the population.
There were 5,904 households out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.9% under the age of 18, 14.0% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,272, and the median income for a family was $36,042. Males had a median income of $30,683 versus $22,085 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $18,021. About 13.6% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.6% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
Notable residents
- Founding pioneersAmerican Pioneers to the Northwest TerritoryAmerican pioneers to the Northwest Territory included soldiers of the Revolution and members of the Ohio Company of Associates. During 1788 these pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta, Ohio as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory,...
, including Gen. Rufus PutnamRufus PutnamRufus Putnam was a colonial military officer during the French and Indian War, and a general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
, Gen. Benjamin TupperBenjamin TupperBenjamin Tupper was a soldier in the French and Indian War, and an officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, achieving the rank of brevet brigadier general. Subsequently, he served as a Massachusetts legislator, and he assisted Gen. William Shepard in stopping Shays'...
, Gen. James VarnumJames Mitchell VarnumJames Mitchell Varnum was an American legislator, lawyer and a general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.-Early life:James Mitchell Varnum was born in Dracut, Massachusetts...
, Col. William StacyWilliam StacyWilliam Stacy was an officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and a pioneer to the Ohio Country...
, and Commodore Abraham WhippleAbraham WhippleAbraham Whipple was an American revolutionary naval commander in the Continental Navy. Whipple was born near Providence, Rhode Island and chose to be a seafarer early in his life. He embarked upon a career in the lucrative West Indies trade, working for Moses and John Brown...
. - Levi BarberLevi BarberLevi Barber was a surveyor, court administrator, banker, and legislator.Levi Barber was born in Simsbury, Connecticut, the son of David Barber and Sarah Lawrence. Levi moved to Ohio where he was a surveyor in the employ of the federal government...
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, 52nd Governor of Ohio - Chief ZimmerChief ZimmerCharles Louis Zimmer was a catcher in Major League Baseball for 19 seasons from to , playing for the Detroit Wolverines , New York Metropolitans...
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player and manager
Notable events
- The Ohio River Sternwheel Festival is held on the weekend after Labor Day in September. 2005 was the 30th anniversary of the event, which brings dozens of SternwheelersPaddle steamerA paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
to the banks of the Ohio River near downtown Marietta. The Festival includes performances from musical artists, Sternwheel races, and a large fireworks display, and brings in thousands of visitors from across the country.
- Annually, the Riverfront Roar powerboat races are held in July. The event includes formula 2 and formula 3 powerboat racing along the Ohio River.
- Marietta Civil War Reenactment is also held at the end of September, and includes Union and Confederate reenactors battling across the scenic Muskingum River.
- Goodfest is held at Goodfellows Park and is a local music festival for teenagers featuring local musicians in a drug & alcohol free environment.
- A number of regattas run throughout the spring, chief among them Marietta High School's Ralph Lindamood Memorial Regatta and the Marietta Invitational Regatta hosted by Marietta College, which brings some of the nations fastest college rowing programs to the Muskingum River. In the fall season, the "Head of the Muskingum" head race is held, again bringing in rowing teams from across the country. The race is run over a 3-3.5 mile course starting in Devola, Ohio and ending at Marietta College's Lindamood-Van Voorhis Boathouse.
See also
- List of cities and towns along the Ohio River
- Washington State Community CollegeWashington State Community CollegeWashington State Community College is a two-year community college located in Marietta, the county seat of Washington County, Ohio. It was established in 1971 as Washington Technical College. Thanks to former college president Carson K. Miller, the college moved to its current location in 1991....
- Marietta CollegeMarietta CollegeMarietta College is a co-educational private college in Marietta, Ohio, USA, which was the first permanent settlement of the Northwest Territory. The school offers 42 majors along with a large number of minors, all of which are grounded in a strong liberal arts foundation...
External links
- Official city government website
- Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce website
- Convention and Visitors Bureau website
- WMOA, local radio station
- The Marietta Times, daily newspaper
- MariettaOhio.info, the hometown website
- MariettaShopper.net, Marietta Business and Advertising Directory
- 2009 NYTimes feature article