Cobb Landmarks wins $10k grant for programs at the William Root House

The City of Marietta posted the following announcement of a grant Cobb Landmarks & Historical Society, Inc. has received from the National Endowment for the Humanities for programming at Marietta’s historic William Root House.

MARIETTA – Cobb Landmarks & Historical Society, Inc. has been awarded funding from Georgia Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the American Rescue Plan Act. The $10,000 grant will help fund programming at the William Root House in Marietta. Cobb Landmarks recently completed an award-winning renovation and expansion at the c. 1845 William Root House campus. One of the oldest homes remaining in the Atlanta area, the property is now operated as a museum, educational garden, gift shop, and event space.
The museum presents an authentic look at life in the antebellum south, using interactive exhibits and touchscreen technology to cast aside myths and harmful stereotypes about the “old south.” “The museum experience presented at the Root House is vitally important to empowering our visitors with an understanding of the events, people, and places that formed our present,” said Cobb Landmarks Executive Director Trevor Beemon. “This financial support gives us the opportunity to make a larger impact in our community.”

About the William Root House

The William Root House was built in about 1845, and was the home of William Root and his wife Hannah.

William Root was a druggist who was born in Philadelphia. He moved to Marietta in 1839 to open a drug and general store. He married Hannah Simpson a year later, and they built the house at what is now Church and Lemon streets.

It was later moved to face Lemon Street, and was owned by William Root until 1886.

Afterwards it had a series of owners and went into steady decline, and in the 1940s was split into apartments.

By the 1980s, the house was in serious disrepair and scheduled for demolition.

A preservation effort began, and in 1989 Cobb Landmarks & Historical Society bought the house and moved it to its current location at 80 North Marietta Pkwy NW, Marietta, GA 30060.

About the City of Marietta

The City of Marietta is the county seat of Cobb County. The latest estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau puts the population of the city at 60,867 which makes it the largest city in Cobb County by population.

However, the city is in a neck-and-neck race with fast-growing Smyrna, whose population was 56,666 at the last estimate.

Here are a few fast facts from the Census Bureau

Marietta city, Georgia

2019 Population Estimates 60,867

Source: Vintage 2019 Population Estimates

Median Household Income $ 57,452

Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Persons in poverty, percent 14.0 %

Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Educational Attainment: Percent high school graduate or higher 87.7 %

Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Persons without health insurance, percent 18.1 %