Marietta Historic Downtown

At a glance

Visual character

“Colonial, Ohio River, Period-Authentic”

About

Marietta is Ohio's oldest city—established in 1788 as the first permanent American settlement in the Northwest Territory—and its historic district reflects that founding generation's ambitions in brick and mortar. The Ohio Film Office promotes Marietta for its concentration of Federal and Greek Revival architecture along a working Ohio River waterfront that retains its 19th-century commercial character. The Muskingum River confluence, the Campus Martius blockhouse structure, and the intact brick warehousing district along Front Street give productions a genuine Early American river town atmosphere. Covered bridge country lies within 30 minutes, the surrounding Appalachian foothills add visual texture, and the Ohio River itself provides navigable waterway access for productions requiring authentic period river commerce.

Where you'll be