​Hoping to capitalize on the tremendous growth of the area during the second half of the 19th century, the Western and Atlantic Railroad developed a brochure in 1885 to advertise passenger schedules, and to describe the cities and attractions in the area. Joseph M. Brown, who later served as Governor of Georgia, was working for the railroad at the time. Serving as General Passenger Agent, he was responsible for providing content for the brochure. Brown decided to include a description of each city along the rail line. When writing about Marietta, he wrote that it was “the little Gem City of Georgia.” The phrase stuck - for a while.

After a few decades, “The Gem City” was used less and less to describe Marietta. Eventually, new phrases and slogans like "It's Hip to be Square" were developed, and “The Gem City” began to fade into obscurity. Fast forward to the early 2000s when Cobb Landmarks is working on a Marietta history book. Written by Douglas M. Frey, the book explores Marietta's history with stories of fifty historic Marietta houses. When it came to naming the book, there was a clear choice. It would be called Marietta: The Gem City of Georgia. ​Today Cobb Landmarks is keeping the phrase alive with a line of products available in the Gift Shop at the William Root House Museum. ​
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MARIETTA, GA, September 25, 2019 - During the 1850s, Hannah and William Root shared their home with their children and extended family. Hannah Root's father, Leonard Simpson, lived with the family and died on October 11, 1856. During the month of October, visitors to the William Root House Museum will see the home decorated for Leonard Simpson's funeral. Curtains will be drawn, and rooms will be adorned with black crepe and ribbons. Visitors will be able to view 19th century embalming equipment, mourning jewelry (made from human hair), and other curious artifacts related to death and mourning in the Victorian era. 
 
WHAT: Death and Mourning in the 1850s

WHEN: October 2-31, 2019 

WHERE: William Root House Museum & Garden; 80 N Marietta Parkway NW, Marietta, GA 30060

TICKETS: Included in the cost of regular museum admission. The museum will also be open for night tours on Saturdays throughout October. Details: roothousemuseum.com/mourning 

Earlier this year, Marietta City Schools announced plans to relocate its Central Office to the site of the old Lemon Street High School near the Marietta Square. The new structure would be designed to replicate the c. 1930 Lemon Street High School building that had been demolished in 1967. Plans for the new building included a museum dedicated to telling the story of Marietta City Schools from 1892 to the present day. The plan was very exciting, but one thing wasn't clear - the future of the c. 1950 Lemon Street Grammar School located directly across the street. The district needed more space, and the old Grammar School building was in need of substantial upgrades and repairs. A rumored demolition plan prompted Trevor Beemon, Executive Director of Cobb Landmarks, to reach out to Marietta City Schools.

"For me it was important for Cobb Landmarks to get in touch with Marietta City Schools early in the planning stages of their project," said Beemon. "I want Cobb Landmarks to be a resource for our partners. I have found that opening up a dialogue and helping walk through different options usually leads to a successful outcome for everyone." When Trevor met with Grant Rivera, Superintendent of Marietta City Schools, he was happy to hear that preserving the Lemon Street Grammar School was a priority of his. "We have always known, due to its unique history, that the building is worth saving," said Rivera. Cobb Landmarks expressed the importance of maintaining the historic exterior of the structure at the very least, but hoped for more. "The question was whether we could afford to save the building while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars," said Rivera. "We are pleased to say that, after careful study, we will be able to do both." 

​Currently used as a warehouse for the District, the Lemon Street Grammar School will be returned to its original use: educating Marietta's students. Marietta City Schools plans to preserve the building's exterior and key architectural features while rehabilitating the interior, making it conducive to a modern learning environment. The building is slated to open in 2021 as the new home to the Marietta Performance Learning Center, a division of Marietta High School. A small exhibition inside the school will further tell the story of the once-segregated school system, while outdoor interpretive panels will focus on the history of the surrounding community. "When historic buildings are torn down, a part of the past disappears forever," said Beemon."Preserving buildings like the Lemon Street Grammar School means we care about the places where our community's character was shaped."

The Marietta Board of Education voted unanimously to support the rehabilitation of the Lemon Street Grammar School during their June 11, 2019 meeting. 

When Cobb Landmarks learned that BAMM Real Estate was going to demolish the house and redevelop the site, the historical society’s Executive Director, Trevor Beemon, requested the opportunity to document the structure so that a photographic and written record of the building, its history, and its architectural features could be made. 
 
While surveying the structure, members of the Cobb Landmarks Preservation Committee noted that some elements of the house were in good condition and worth saving and that some of these materials might be used in the construction of the new interpretive center being developed at the William Root House campus in downtown Marietta. They requested access to these items for preservation and re-use in the Root House project. BAMM agreed and gave Cobb Landmarks permission to identify and remove elements of historic importance from the Fowler House. "We were thrilled to work with Cobb Landmarks to preserve parts of the Fowler house,” said Michael Sunshine, Managing Partner of BAMM. “Preserving the history of Marietta is extremely important to us and as we begin development of multiple properties in Marietta, we look forward to our continued partnership with Cobb Landmarks and other local businesses." 
 
Cobb Landmarks partnered with Marietta Reclamation to salvage the materials. Items saved from the house, including doors, windows, shutters, lighting fixtures, and hardware, will be incorporated into Cobb Landmarks’ new interpretive center and headquarters. Cobb Landmarks is pleased to be able to give pieces of the historic Fowler House a second life.

Watch news coverage from CBS46 News.

Cobb Landmarks held its Annual Membership Meeting on January 24th. The event took place at St. James’ Episcopal Church and drew a large crowd. Attendees enjoyed a buffet of delicious food provided by the Cobb Landmarks Board of Trustees and countless volunteers. During the meeting, Board Chair Abbie Parks and Executive Director Trevor Beemon reviewed milestones from 2018, highlighting the relocation of the c. 1830 Manning Cabin from Powder Springs to Cobb Landmarks’ Root House Museum campus in downtown Marietta last September. David Freedman led the awards portion of the program, which celebrated preservation projects throughout Cobb County. The award-winning projects are: 

Carrie Dyer House - 
Carol and Tommy Allegood accepting the award
The Carrie Dyer Reading Club was established in Acworth in 1898. In 1910, the group purchased a c. 1850 house in downtown Acworth for use as a clubhouse. The house was used to host lectures, special events, and dances, and also served as a meeting place for local organizations such as the Girl Scouts of the USA. The Carrie Dyer Reading Club also operated a library in the home which merged with the Cobb County-Marietta Public Library System in 1963 after a new public library was built nearby. The home then returned to residential use.

The following years were not kind to the home. After decades of neglect, the home was purchased by a developer, and plans were drawn up in 2017 to replace the home with a modern structure. Cobb Landmarks immediately contacted the City of Acworth. Cobb Landmarks felt that retaining the original front rooms and facade of the structure was extremely important. The depth of the lot would allow for a substantial modern addition while the front facade and main front rooms could be retained. Acworth Mayor Tommy Allegood heard our concerns and decided to take off his mayor hat and put on his builder hat, purchasing the home and remodeling and enlarging it for a modern buyer.
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Elizabeth Porter Park - 
Elizabeth Porter History and Mural Committe accepting the award
Construction for Elizabeth Porter Park began in August 2017 and was completed in 2018. Located at the intersection of Allgood Road and North Marietta Parkway, it features a walk/run track, spray pad, and pavilion. A great recreational amenity, the park was also designed to ensure the preservation of local history through the use of public art. Most prominently, a symbolically rich 130-foot mural depicts activities relevant to the site and surrounding neighborhood over time. Secondly, a statue of Elizabeth Porter, the park's namesake and former recreation center director, was incorporated into the park entrance. The statue design shows Mrs. Porter beside two children representing those she worked with during her 22 years as director.

Glover Park Brewery - 
Sam Rambo accepting the award
In 2018 Hank DuPre and Sam Rambo opened Glover Park Brewery in downtown Marietta. The owners rehabilitated a c. 1930 Sears, Roebuck and Company building, which had been significantly altered through the years, and was at one point gutted by a fire. Restoring the historic brick facade, they added historic character back to the interior spaces by using reclaimed materials and fixtures. Downtown Marietta's first brewery, Glover Park Brewery is a wonderful addition to Atlanta Street and the Marietta Square. 

McConnell House - 
City of Acworth and Acworth Arts Alliance accepting the award
This c. 1900 structure housed one of Acworth's first African American businesses. Jeff McConnell operated a shoe repair business from the basement and lived on the main level. The home was rehabilitated by the City of Acworth for use as an Art House by the Acworth Art Alliance.

Willingham-Micheletto House - 
Sara and Jon Micheletto accepting the award
The Willingham-Micheletto House is a stunning 1924 Colonial Revival, made even more stunning by its restoration after a tragic fire in 2016. The home was spared the wrecking ball by Sara and Jon Micheletto, and has been closely restored  to its c. 1924 appearance based on the home's original plans designed by famed Atlanta architect Leila Ross Wilburn.

Before and after view of Carrie Dyer House in Acworth

The Carrie Dyer Reading Club was established in Acworth in 1898. In 1910, the group purchased a c. 1850 house in downtown Acworth for use as a clubhouse. The house was used to host lectures, special events, and dances, and also served as a meeting place for local organizations such as the Girl Scouts of the USA. The Carrie Dyer Reading Club also operated a library in the home which merged with the Cobb County-Marietta Public Library System in 1963 after a new public library was built nearby. The home then returned to residential use.

The following years were not kind to the home. After decades of neglect, the home was purchased by a developer, and plans were drawn up in 2017 to replace the home with a modern structure. Cobb Landmarks immediately contacted the City of Acworth. Cobb Landmarks felt that retaining the original front rooms and facade of the structure was extremely important. The depth of the lot would allow for a substantial modern addition while the front facade and main front rooms could be retained. Acworth Mayor Tommy Allegood heard our concerns and decided to take off his mayor hat and put on his builder hat, purchasing the home and remodeling and enlarging it for a modern buyer.

The Manning Cabin was moved from Powder Springs to the Root House property on September 20, 2018. The chimney, roof, and porch were disassembled for the move. The cabin will be temporarily placed in the Root House parking lot until the new foundation is ready. Since the move, the cabin has been cleared of debris and  a new roof has been installed. Soon, the foundation of the interpretive center will be poured and the cabin will be moved one last time and placed on new concrete piers. 

The 875 sq. ft. cabin will be used as an exhibit space and as an event and lecture space. A large addition to the cabin will contain executive offices, a research library and conference room, public restrooms, and a small catering kitchen. Cobb Landmarks also plans to make the space available to rent for private events and meetings.

The property occupied by the William Root House is leased to Cobb Landmarks from the City of Marietta. In 2016, the Marietta City Council approved a request by Cobb Landmarks to add .082 acres adjacent to the Root House to the lease. This additional land, along with modifications to the existing property, will enable the cabin and smokehouse to be relocated to the Root House property. The addition of these structures will allow Cobb Landmarks to begin hosting temporary and traveling exhibitions, lectures, and large-scale educational programs, which will expand our reach in the community.

An early estimate for construction is $685,000. Cobb Landmarks does not plan to incur any debt related to this project. Funds raised exceeding the construction cost will be set aside for an endowment for the operation and perpetual care of the cabin and additional structures. Construction should be completed by the end of 2019.