Marietta

Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in Washington County, Ohio, United States. The population was 14,515 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Washington County and is the second largest by population of three principal cities of and included in the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, West Virginia-Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. Originally settled by the Mound Builder people. Founded in 1788, Marietta is the oldest city in Ohio. It was named for Marie Antoinette, Queen of France during the American Revolution. It served a the capital of the Northwest Territory from 1788 to 1800.

The city grew in the early 19th century due to its location on the convergence of two rivers. In 1860 oil was drilled in the region, and oil booms further grew the wealth and size of the city. The Dawes family was a locally prominent family who profited from the oil boom; Charles Dawes, Vice President and the formulator of the post-World War I Dawes Plan for reparations, was a member of that family. The city was bypassed when major railroads and interstate highways were built through other areas.