Marietta-Washington County CVB

Located at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers, Fort Harmar (1) was the first U.S. military installation in the Northwest Territory. Future general and president George Washington surveyed the land and recommended it for the placement of a fort and permanent settlement. The stockade was established in 1785 to discourage squatters.

However, it only served to embolden illegal settlers who mistakenly believed the military presence would prevent attacks from Native Americans. Fort Harmar soldiers battled Indians on two occasions. Today the site of the fort has been taken over by the river. A stone monument designates the place where the fort once stood.

Across the Muskingum River, in the parking lot of the Lafayette Hotel, another stone marks the location of yet another fortification. Picketed Point was a place of refuge for early settlers during the Indian War from 1791 to 1795.

Following early conflicts with Native Americans, the town of Marietta began to thrive and served as the primary gateway to the Northwest Territory, as evidenced by the arrival of the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1803. A plaque on the Muskingum tells of a letter from Captain Meriwether Lewis to President Thomas Jefferson documenting this leg of his journey.

The Ohio National Guard Armory (3) was built in 1914 for service in the first war of the twentieth century: World War I. The Armory served as the departure point for soldiers who also fought in World War II and Korea.

Currently under reconstruction, the Armory grounds host a number of tributes to veterans.

The Veterans Walk of Honor (4) is an ongoing project started in 2008 to honor individuals from Washington County who served the nation in the Armed Forces.

Also, located on the Armory grounds, captured foreign artillery tells the story of the role of local troops in the Pacific theatre during WW2. A Purple Heart monument pays tribute to injured warriors (5).

Nearby, tucked behind the Veterans Walk of Honor, a war relic from 1898 and a monument commemorate the sacrifices of Marietta soldiers in the Spanish American War (6).

A grand memorial in remembrance of the Civil War (7) stands at the corner of Putnam and Front Streets. A statue of a Union soldier boy is surrounded by four captured Confederate parrot cannons. The monument was commissioned and built by Marietta residents, who were split over the conflict with soldiers and loyalties on both sides.

A pair of eagles perched on sandstone pylons overlooks the entrance to the park. The sculptures were dedicated in 1938 to celebrate the sesquicentennial of Marietta and the Northwest Territory.

Further into the park, a much larger work was made by Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor famous for carving four presidents on Mt. Rushmore. The front of "A Nation Moving Westward" (8) depicts three of Marietta's founding fathers, who were Revolutionary War Veterans and members of the Ohio Company.

Also in the park, a 20th century veterans' monument (9) marks significant milestones in local and U.S. history.

The nationally accredited museum tells the story of the area, its military history, and its founding by Revolutionary War veterans including General Rufus Putnam, who led the Ohio Company to settle the Northwest Territory. Campus Martius (10) is also the site of the area’s second military installation, constructed for the security of early settlers.

An elevated green between Third and Fourth Streets and Sacra Via and Warren Street is another place significant to Marietta's part in the Civil War. Camp Tupper (11) was the encampment and training grounds for Ohio's 77th regiment beginning in 1862.

The Castle (12), one of three of Marietta's most important architectural marvels designed by John M. Slocomb, is a stunning example of Gothic Revival style.

Construction began on the house in 1855 after Melvin C. Clarke purchased the property for $2,000. Clarke – an attorney and abolitionist - lost his life in the Civil War and the house passed through some of Marietta's most prominent families.

In 1992, The Castle was left to the Betsey Mills Corporation to be used for educational and public purposes. Today the premiere attraction of the historic district offers tours, workshops, entertainment, and special exhibits including Civil War relics.

The last stop on our tour is Mound Cemetery (13) – the final resting place of ancients, pioneers, and Revolutionary War veterans. When the pioneers settled Marietta, they chose an ancient burial mound as the site for their cemetery.

A staircase on the northern side allows visitors access to the top of the mound. A marker near the mound designates the burial sites of Revolutionary War veterans – more than in any other cemetery.

In Harmar, a French monument (14) is located at the corner of Gilman and Virginia Streets.

Initially, it was the French who wanted to mark the area along the Ohio River for themselves. They buried a lead tablet along the river designating their claim to the land. One such tablet was buried near the current site of a monument to the occasion. The original tablet was found in the early 1800s and was nearly melted down to make lead shot before it was saved and taken to a historical society in Massachusetts.

When the government of France dedicated the monument commemorating French explorers an inscription was included thanking the members of the Marietta College Ambulance Unit who served in France from 1917 to 1919.