Visit Marietta, Georgia's Historic Museums4627006

Marietta, Georgia is an historic city 15 miles northwest of Atlanta. The city, which was settled in the early 1800s, saw a number of battles rage around it during the Civil War. During WWII Marietta was the home of the Bell Bomber Factory, which built B-29 bombers. That manufacturing facility later became Lockheed Martin, one of the world's biggest defense contractors. Two museums in Marietta's historic downtown preserve the city's history and give visitors a glimpse into its past site.

The Marietta Fire Museum is located at 112 Haynes Street, on Marietta's historic downtown square. Visitors can view displays of antique firefighting equipment including hoses, fire bells, helmets, and other gear. Five pieces of historic fire fighting apparatus are highlighted at the museum. The oldest vehicle is the Silsby Steamer, purchased by the city in 1879 following a disastrous fire that destroyed much of Marietta's square. The horse drawn steamer pumped 500 gallons of water per minute and was named "Aurora" by local citizens. The Silsby Steamer was used by the city until 1921. It was restored in 1992, is fully functional, and is one of only five still in existence. Another historic vehicle at the museum is the 1921 American LaFrance Pumper, the city's first motorized fire truck. There is also a 1929 Seagraves 500 GPM Pumper, a 1949 Pirsch Ladder Truck, and a 1952 Chevrolet Rescue Truck. A "Wall of Flame" contains photos of some of the worst fires in Marietta's history. The museum is open Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm. Tours are conducted by active duty fire fighters. Admission is free, and donations are accepted.

The Marietta Museum of History preserves and displays historical artifacts from Marietta and Cobb County. The Native American Gallery showcases artifacts and exhibits about Native Americans that lived in the area. It chronicles the stories of Cherokees who were forcibly moved west on the "Trail of Tears". The Andrew's Raiders Room tells the story of the Civil War battles that were fought in the area. The Military Gallery displays uniforms and weapons dating back to the Civil War. The museum also hosts special exhibits throughout the year. The Marietta Museum of History has an Aviation Wing located two miles away off S. Cobb Drive. This annex features civilian and military aircraft from the last half of the 20th century.

The Marietta History Museum is housed on the second floor of the Kennesaw House, one of the city's oldest buildings. It is located next door to the Marietta Welcome Center at 1 Depot Street, just west of the square. Hrs are Monday-Saturday from 10am-4pm. The Aviation Wing is open Thursday-Saturday from 10am-3pm. Admission is $7 for grownups, and $5 for seniors and kids ages 5 and older.