Marietta Real Estate

Marietta

Marietta is the county seat of Cobb County, located about 20 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta. From SRA Signature Realty's office in Tucker, reaching Marietta generally means taking I-285 West and continuing onto I-75 North, a drive that crosses the metro from the northeast side of DeKalb County to Cobb County on the opposite side of Atlanta.

From a Railroad Stop to a Historic County Seat

Marietta traces its roots to the 1820s, when settlers moved into the area near the Cherokee town of Big Shanty, and the Georgia legislature legally recognized the town on December 19, 1834, the same year Cobb County was created. The city was incorporated in 1852 with John Glover as its first mayor, and it takes its name from Mary Cobb, wife of U.S. Senator Thomas Willis Cobb, for whom the county itself is named. The arrival of the Western and Atlantic Railroad in the 1840s turned Marietta into a commercial hub, and the Kennesaw House, built in 1838 as a railroad warehouse and later run as the Fletcher House hotel, still stands on the square today as one of only a handful of Marietta's commercial buildings to survive the Civil War era; it now houses the Marietta History Museum. Decades later, the city's economy took a different turn when a wartime aircraft plant opened in the 1940s and was reactivated for jet production by Lockheed in 1951, work that continues at the site today.

Marietta Square and Its Historic Buildings

Marietta Square remains the heart of the city, framed by Glover Park's green space and a mix of nineteenth and early twentieth century storefronts. The Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre, an Art Deco movie palace built in 1935, closed in 1976 and reopened in 2009 after a full restoration, and now hosts live theatre, concerts, and classic films on the square. Nearby, Marietta Square Market fills a renovated warehouse building near the old rail tracks with a food hall of local eateries. The Square anchors six historic districts across the city, several of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Kennesaw Mountain and a College Campus

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, at 2,923 acres, stretches along Marietta's border with neighboring Kennesaw and offers 17.3 miles of hiking trails through wooded, hilly terrain. Marietta is also home to a campus of Kennesaw State University, which began as Southern Polytechnic State University before the two institutions consolidated in 2015, adding a college campus to the city's historic core.

A Range of Historic and Newer Homes

Housing near Marietta Square includes well-preserved historic homes within the city's six historic districts, among them Northwest Marietta, Whitlock Avenue, Washington Avenue, and Church-Cherokee Streets, several of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and reflect more than a century of continuous residential use around the courthouse town. Farther from the square, the city and its surrounding unincorporated area include a much wider mix of subdivisions built from the mid-20th century forward, giving buyers a choice between walkable historic streets lined with older homes and quieter neighborhoods elsewhere in Cobb County.

• Stroll Marietta Square and Glover Park's green space


• Catch a show at the Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre


• Grab a meal at Marietta Square Market


• Hike part of Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park's 17.3 miles of trails


• Tour the Kennesaw House and Marietta History Museum

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Marietta the county seat of Cobb County?

Yes. Marietta has served as the Cobb County seat since the county's creation in 1834, and the city was formally incorporated in 1852.

How far is Marietta from downtown Atlanta?

Marietta sits about 20 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta, typically reached from the east side of the metro via I-285 and I-75.

What is on Marietta Square?

Marietta Square includes Glover Park's green space, the Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre, Marietta Square Market food hall, and the historic Kennesaw House, along with a mix of nineteenth and early twentieth century storefronts.

Is Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park near Marietta?

Yes. The 2,923 acre park sits along Marietta's border with neighboring Kennesaw and offers 17.3 miles of hiking trails.

Is there a college in Marietta?

Marietta is home to a campus of Kennesaw State University that began as Southern Polytechnic State University before the two institutions consolidated in 2015.

What historic buildings are still standing in Marietta?

The Kennesaw House, built in 1838, is one of the few commercial buildings in Marietta to survive the Civil War era and now houses the Marietta History Museum on the square.

Does Marietta have historic districts?

Yes. Marietta includes six historic districts, among them Northwest Marietta, Whitlock Avenue, Washington Avenue, and Church-Cherokee Streets, several of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.