Marietta dates to 1803, and 66% of its homes were built before 1940
Among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns · #49 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
4 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 373 buildings. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1840.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1813.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Marietta’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Marietta is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #49 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its age lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Marietta’s overall grade.
Pennsylvania towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Pennsylvania town has 2.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Marietta’s 1,303 sits above most of its state (98% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 376 historic buildings outnumber those of 96% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would still be A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.8 points). Two sources give 1803.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Marietta’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
In 1727, James Anderson made a lottery that laid out part of present-day Marietta. Later David Cook laid another portion of present-day Marietta. Further development by Jacob Grosh, John Myers, John Peadan, James Mehaffey, Benjamin Long, and James Huffy laid out the rest of present-day Marietta. In 1812, the borough was incorporated, merging all the areas of town except for the western portion of the borough which was extended into Marietta at a later date.
For the first few years of existence, the growth of the borough was meager. Then an economic crisis struck the town, not relenting until around 1830. Thereafter, industries such as timber and iron smelting provided many economic opportunities in the borough.
Passages that mention Marietta, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania1883Read the page →
Read the text
Previous to this year the spiritual wants of Lutherans at Marietta were attended to by the paators of the Lutheran Church at Columbia, Pa. In 1852 the Lutherans and German Reformed of Marietta organized a so-called union congregation. Re Doer, a Reformed minister, preached for them eve7 two weeks. This arrangement, however, was contia ued only a little over a year. During the two year*
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania1883Read the page →
Read the text
Industries. — The present Marietta Hollow-Ware and Enameling Company was organized ajid commenced business in 1876. Their works are located on the nortli side of Pennsylvania Railroad, a short distance west from the railroad station, and cover one aero of land, donated by Mr. James Dutfy, who also subscribed ten thousand dollars towards the original twenty-three thousand dollars stock of the company.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
An authentic history of Lancaster County1869 · page 378Read the page →
Read the text
Marietta BorougJi. — Population in 1860, 2,186; taxables, 402; value of Peal and Personal Property, §308,434. It was incorporated in 1812, and the adjoining villages of Waterford and New Haven were included in the borough. The original name of the place was Anderson's Ferry, so called after Anderson, whose farm then covered about one half of the town plot; he was a man of much enterprise and public spirit.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Marietta, 1803 to 1929
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1803, according to Wikidata. Marietta’s post office opened in 1813, and the census of 1840 counted 1,428 people here.
How does Marietta rank for history?
Marietta is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #49 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Marietta?
4 listings: 3 buildings and 1 historic district, the Marietta Historic District, with 373 contributing buildings. 376 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Marietta?
66% of Marietta’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.8 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1938.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (12), the National Register of Historic Places (4), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
