Marietta’s historic William Root House Museum & Garden was recognized by the American Alliance of Museums‘ Center for the Future of Museums (CFM) for its use of touchscreen technology.
The CFM became aware of the interactive touchscreen experience at the William Root House, and asked Cobb Landmarks Executive Director Trevor Beemon to write about the system for The American Alliance of Museums blog.
The announcement on the City of Marietta website describes the William Root House and the touchscreens as follows:
“The 1840s William Root House, one of the oldest homes in the Atlanta area, was originally the home of early Cobb County settlers Hannah and William Root. Threatened by demolition in the 1980s, the home was moved in 1990 by Cobb Landmarks and renovated for use as a house museum depicting middle class life in Antebellum Georgia.
“A half-million-dollar renovation of the museum in 2019 included remodeling and expanding the exhibits at the Root House. Interactive touchscreen displays were installed in each room of the house and surrounding outbuildings.
“The touchscreens give visitors the opportunity to examine family photos and documents, and to watch educational videos produced for the Root House.
“The Root House is the first house museum in the United States to offer a fully self-guided touchscreen tour. In 2021 the Georgia Association of Museums recognized the Root House for excellence in exhibition theory, planning, and implementation.
“The recognition specifically commends the use of touchscreen technology and also recognized the interpretation of the slave experience on the property.”
“This recognition validates the important work Cobb Landmarks is doing at the Root House,” said Trevor Beemon. “It also reassures us that the use of technology in a historic house setting can be a successful way to provide information to contemporary visitors who have come to expect this type of presentation in a museum.”
>> To read the complete announcement follow this link
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 | |
| People | |
| Population, Census, April 1, 2020 | 60972 |
| Population, Census, April 1, 2010 | 56579 |
| Age and Sex | |
| Persons under 5 years, percent | 6.7% |
| Persons under 18 years, percent | 21.8% |
| Persons 65 years and over, percent | 13.2% |
| Female persons, percent | 49.9% |
| Race and Hispanic Origin | |
| White alone, percent | 53.4% |
| Black or African American alone, percent(a) | 32.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent(a) | 0.6% |
| Asian alone, percent(a) | 1.9% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent(a) | 0.0% |
| Two or More Races, percent | 4.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino, percent(b) | 15.7% |
| White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent | 46.4% |
| Population Characteristics | |
| Veterans, 2016-2020 | 2678 |
| Foreign born persons, percent, 2016-2020 | 16.6% |
| Housing | |
| Owner-occupied housing unit rate, 2016-2020 | 44.0% |
| Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2016-2020 | $310,100 |
| Median selected monthly owner costs -with a mortgage, 2016-2020 | $1,856 |
| Median selected monthly owner costs -without a mortgage, 2016-2020 | $526 |
| Median gross rent, 2016-2020 | $1,145 |
| Families & Living Arrangements | |
| Households, 2016-2020 | 24148 |
| Persons per household, 2016-2020 | 2.39 |
| Living in same house 1 year ago, percent of persons age 1 year+, 2016-2020 | 77.9% |
| Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2016-2020 | 23.7% |
| Computer and Internet Use | |
| Households with a computer, percent, 2016-2020 | 95.1% |
| Households with a broadband Internet subscription, percent, 2016-2020 | 86.6% |
| Education | |
| High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2016-2020 | 88.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2016-2020 | 44.0% |
| Health | |
| With a disability, under age 65 years, percent, 2016-2020 | 6.3% |
| Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years, percent | 20.2% |
| Economy | |
| In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2016-2020 | 67.2% |
| In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2016-2020 | 61.2% |
| Total accommodation and food services sales, 2012 ($1,000)(c) | 264544 |
| Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2012 ($1,000)(c) | 1584232 |
| Total manufacturers shipments, 2012 ($1,000)(c) | 1129407 |
| Total retail sales, 2012 ($1,000)(c) | 1976915 |
| Total retail sales per capita, 2012(c) | $33,875 |
| Transportation | |
| Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2016-2020 | 28.5 |
| Income & Poverty | |
| Median household income (in 2020 dollars), 2016-2020 | $59,594 |
| Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2020 dollars), 2016-2020 | $36,112 |
| Persons in poverty, percent | 14.1% |
| Businesses | |
| All firms, 2012 | 10501 |
| Men-owned firms, 2012 | 4934 |
| Women-owned firms, 2012 | 4186 |
| Minority-owned firms, 2012 | 4286 |
| Nonminority-owned firms, 2012 | 5502 |
| Veteran-owned firms, 2012 | 1015 |
| Nonveteran-owned firms, 2012 | 8663 |
| Geography | |
| Population per square mile, 2010 | 2451.4 |
| Land area in square miles, 2010 | 23.08 |
