Historic Downtown Marietta
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia,[3] and is its county seat.
As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 58,748, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs. Census estimates of 2007 indicate a population of 67,021[3]. Marietta is the third-largest of three principal cities (by population) of and is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Georgia metropolitan statistical area, which is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, Georgia-Alabama (part) combined statistical area.
In 2009, the mayor of Marietta was William B. (Bill) Dunaway, in his second and last four-year term as mayor.[4]
History
Homes had been built by early settlers near the Cherokee town of Kennesaw by 1824.[5]
In 1837 the Georgia Gazetteer reported that the city of Marietta was named for the wife of U.S. Senator and Supreme Court Judge Thomas Willis Cobb. The first plat was laid out in 1833. Like most towns, Marietta had a square in the center with a small courthouse. The Georgia Legislature legally recognized the town on December 19, 1834.[5]
Marietta was selected as the home base for the new Western and Atlantic Railroad. Business boomed.[5]
Built in 1838, Oakton[6] is the oldest continuously occupied residence in Marietta. The original barn, milk house, smoke house and well house remain on the property. The spectacular gardens contain the boxwood parterre from the 1870s. Oakton served as Major General Loring's headquarters during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in 1864. [7]
By 1838 roadbed and trestles had been built north of the city. In 1840, political wrangling stopped construction for a time. In 1842, new management decided to use the area that would become Atlanta. In 1850, the railroad began operation. This was another boost to industry.[5]
Businessman and politician John Glover arrived in 1848. The town elected him mayor when it incorporated in 1852.[5]
Dr. Carey Cox promoted a "water cure," which developed into a spa that attracted patients to the area. The Cobb County Medical Society recognizes him as the first physician.[5]
The Georgia Military Institute was built in 1851.[5]
During the 1850s fire destroyed much of the city on three occasions.[5]
The first bank opened in 1855.[5]
Civil War
By the time the Civil War began in 1861, Marietta had recovered from the fires.[5]
In April 1862, James Andrews, a civilian working with Union soldiers, came down to Marietta dressed in civilian clothing and spent the night in the Fletcher House hotel (later known as the Kennesaw House and now the home of the Marietta Museum of History) located right in front of the railroad tracks. James Andrews and his men, known as the Andrews Raiders, had great plans to end the Civil War early. The Andrews Raiders got aboard the waiting train on the morning of April 12, 1862, with the rest of the passengers. When the train stopped in the town of Big Shanty, now known as Kennesaw, for the passengers to have breakfast, Andrews and the Raiders got back on the train and stole the engine and the car behind it, which carried the fuel. The train, called The General, and Andrews' Raiders had begun the episode now known as the Great Locomotive Chase.[5]
General William Tecumseh Sherman invaded the town during the summer of 1864. In November 1864, General Hugh Kilpatrick set the town ablaze, the first strike in Sherman's March to the Sea.[5]
One of the few houses left standing, the Marietta Hotel, was later burned by the town residents who found out the owner of the building had been a Yankee spy during the Civil War.[citation needed]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.0 square miles (56.9 km²), of which, 21.9 square miles (56.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.27%) is water.
Climate
Marietta has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa).
| Weather data for Marietta |
| Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
| Average high °F (°C) |
50
(10) |
55
(13) |
64
(18) |
72
(22) |
79
(26) |
86
(30) |
89
(32) |
88
(31) |
83
(28) |
73
(23) |
63
(17) |
54
(12) |
71
(22) |
| Average low °F (°C) |
28
(-2) |
31
(-1) |
38
(3) |
45
(7) |
54
(12) |
62
(17) |
66
(19) |
65
(18) |
59
(15) |
46
(8) |
38
(3) |
31
(-1) |
47
(8) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) |
5.82
(147.8) |
5.08
(129) |
5.94
(150.9) |
4.50
(114.3) |
4.32
(109.7) |
4.25
(108) |
4.59
(116.6) |
4.40
(111.8) |
3.60
(91.4) |
3.38
(85.9) |
4.21
(106.9) |
4.34
(110.2) |
54.43
(1,382.5) |
| Source: [8] 2009-08-15 |
Demographics
| Historical populations |
| Census |
Pop. |
|
%± |
| 1960 |
25,565 |
|
—
|
| 1970 |
27,216 |
|
6.5% |
| 1980 |
30,805 |
|
13.2% |
| 1990 |
44,129 |
|
43.3% |
| 2000 |
58,748 |
|
33.1% |
As of the census of 2000, there were 58,748 people, 23,895 households, and 13,022 families residing in the city.[1] The population density was 2,684.1 people per square mile (1,036.2/km²). There were 25,227 housing units at an average density of 1,152.6/sq mi (445.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 56.49% White, 33.50% African American, 0.32% Native American, 2.97% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 7.99% from other races, and 2.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.93% of the population.
There were 23,895 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.4% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.5% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 14.1% from 18 to 24, 39.4% from 25 to 44, 15.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males. For every 101 females age 18 and over, there were 100.3 males.
Economy
Personal income
The median income for a household in the city was $40,645, and the median income for a family was $47,340. Males had a median income of $31,186 versus $30,027 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,409. About 11.5% of families and 15.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.
Industry
Dobbins Air Reserve Base on the south side of town and a Lockheed-Martin manufacturing plant are among the major industries in the city.
Infrastructure
The city operates Marietta Power under the auspices of the Board of Lights & Water (BLW). The BLW is also party to the Cobb-Marietta Water Authority. The city formerly operated Marietta FiberNet, a fiber optic network, but sold the network to American Fiber Systems for a substantial financial loss.[9]
Education
Some of the schools in Marietta are operated by the Marietta City School District. The district is one of the smallest in metro Atlanta, operating only one high school, Marietta High School, one middle school, Marietta Middle School, and several elementary schools (as Sadalia Park Elementary School).[citation needed] There is also a Sixth Grade Academy.
The Cobb County School District operates seven other high schools within the city, they are; Kell, Lassiter, Osborne, Pope, Sprayberry, and Walton high schools. Some Marietta students attend Wheeler High School just outside the city limits.
Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU), Chattahoochee Technical College and Life University are located in Marietta, serving more than 20,000 students in more than 90 programs of study.
Culture
Downtown Marietta features Glover Park, the historic town square and location of the county courthouse. The Square is the site of several cultural productions and public events. Incorporated in 1993, Theatre in the Square is a year-round professional theater, producing a five-show subscription season as well as summer and holiday shows. The Strand Theatre has been renovated back to its original design and features classical films and other events. The Marietta Museum of History exhibits the history of the city and county. The Museum is home to thousands of artifacts including items from Marietta residents and businesses. The Marietta Gone with the Wind Museum, also called "Scarlett On the Square," houses a collection of memorabilia related to both the book and the film.
The city has a landmark on U.S. 41, the Big Chicken.
The CSX freight trains between Atlanta and Chattanooga (Western & Atlantic Subdivision) still run a block west of the town square, past the train depot (now the Visitor Center) and the Kennesaw House, one of only four buildings in Marietta not burned to the ground in Sherman's March to the Sea. The Kennesaw House is home to the Marietta Museum of History[10] which tells the history of Marietta and Cobb County.
Notable people
- Shareef Abdur-Rahim, professional basketball player
- Bob Armstrong, professional wrestler (along with his family of fellow wrestlers, Scott, Brad, Steve, and Brian)
- Marcus Alexander Bagwell, aka Buff Bagwell, professional wrestler
- Jack Baldwin, auto racer
- Alan Ball, screenwriter
- Randall Bentley, Actor on Heroes[11]
- Alton Brown, Food Network personality
- Dan Byrd, actor
- Jim Cantore, The Unied States Stormtracker and well-known meteorologist on The Weather Channel since 1986
- Amy Dumas, aka Lita, professional wrestler
- Dale Ellis, NBA player for the Dallas Mavericks, Seattle SuperSonics, Milwaukee Bucks, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, and the Charlotte Hornets
- Robin Finck, professional guitarist
- Kelly Flinn, first female B-52 pilot in the US Air Force. Graduated from high school in Marietta
- Leo Frank, American Jew who was lynched by a mob from Marietta after his alleged murder of Mary Phagan
- Robby Ginepri, professional tennis player
- Fredi González, manager of the Florida Marlins
- Gröûp X: Arabian rap sensations, musical group
- Cedric Henderson, NBA player for the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks[12]
- Jeremy Hermida, baseball player
- Todd Jones, professional baseball player
- Cledus T. Judd, country comedian
- Andy LaPlegua, Industrial artist (Combichrist, Icon of Coil, etc.)
- Davis Mallory, housemate on The Real World: Denver
- Melanie Oudin, professional tennis player, US Open 2009 quarterfinalist. [13]
- Jennifer Paige, singer
- Robert Patrick, actor
- Kandice Pelletier, contestant on The Amazing Race (Season 10 and All-Stars)
- Ty Pennington, actor
- Lawrence Pfohl AKA Lex Luger, professional wrestler
- Mary Phagan, 13-year-old whose murder led to the Leo Frank lynching
- Mac Powell, singer, Third Day
- Cody Rhodes (Cody Runnels), professional wrestler[14]
- Chris Robinson, singer, The Black Crowes
- Rich Robinson, guitarist, The Black Crowes
- Jeff Sheppard. professional basketball player
- Ron Simmons, professional wrestler
- David Snell, journalist for Atlanta Constitution during late 1940s
- Ray Traylor AKA The Big Bossman, professional wrestler
- Travis Tritt, country music singer
- Lawson Vaughn, professional soccer player, Chivas USA
- Joanne Woodward, Academy Award Winning Actress
- Hank Young, contestant/Winner Biker Build Off (Discovery Channel Season 1 and 2)[15]
Sister cities
Marietta has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):[16]
References
External links
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| See also: Georgia |
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