Introduction
Located within the southeastern portion of the State of Ohio and relatively northwest in the main body of the State of West Virginia is the Marietta-Parkersburg combined area. While Marietta is located directly along the Ohio River to serve as the county seat of Washington County, Parkersburg is located further downstream to serve as the county seat of Wood County. Marietta also serves as the oldest city in Ohio and as a community on the mouth of the Muskingum River, whereas Parkersburg serves as a community on the mouth of the Little Kanawha River.
Though the Historic Jail Museum and Information Center is located in the nearby community of Caldwell in Noble County, the relationship with the City of Marietta in Washington County remains quite significant nonetheless. Also related to the general area of Marietta and Parkersburg are a number of communities located elsewhere in Eastern Ohio, including Zanesville and Cambridge, as well as a number of smaller communities deeper into Appalachia in West Virginia.
Rivers
The following communities, with attractions, are located along the Muskingum River, further upstream from Marietta:
- The Village of McConnelsville is located within Morgan County, Ohio, serving as the county seat. With a residential population of under two thousand residents, the community lacks amenities for outside visitors, and only local visitors are likely to be identified within the area. On the opposite side of the river is an even smaller Morgan County community by the name of Malta.
- The City of Zanesville, a satellite city associated with Ohio University, serves as the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, with access to the Brighton Historic District in the southwest as well as to the Stone Academy Historic Site, the Putnam Historic District, and the Dr. Increase Mathews House Museum and Gardens to the west of the river. Within the North Zanesville area is the Zanesville Museum of Art, also on the west side of the river. On the east side are Matt’s Art Glass, the Zanesville Appalachian Arts Project, the Seilers’ Studio and Gallery, and the Alan Cottrill Sculpture Museum and Studio. The Yan Sun Art Museum and Gallery is also located within the community.
- At the confluence of the Walhonding and Tuscarawas Rivers is the community of Coshocton, serving as the county seat of Coshocton County, Ohio. The most important locations within Coshocton include the Historic Roscoe Village and the Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum.
The following communities, with attractions, are located along the Little Kanawha River, upstream from Parkersburg:
- The Town of Elizabeth serves as the county seat of Wirt County, West Virginia, with the most notable attraction being the Almost Heaven Swing at Sportsman’s Park.
- Though there are no tourist attractions within the inner community, the Town of Grantsville is located in Calhoun County, West Virginia, serving as the associated county seat.
- The Town of Glenville is the county seat of Gilmer County, West Virginia, serving as home to Glenville State University as well as the Gilmer County WV Historical Society.
Attractions
On the Ohio side of the Marietta-Parkersburg area, the City of Marietta represents the oldest city in Ohio, so a number of historical attractions occur throughout the area. To the west of the Muskingum River are Lookout Point, the Anchorage, the Harmar Historic District, the Harmar Village Post Office, a Lewis and Clark Historic Marker, and the Fort Harmar Monument, as well as the potentially seasonal Henry Fearing House Museum.
To the east of the Muskingum River, where attractions are more spread out, the community is also home to the Quadranaou Native American Mound, Sacra Via, the Campus Martius Museum, the Rufus Dawes House, the Castle Historic House Museum, the Cisler Terrace, the Cawley and Peoples Mortuary Museum, and the Marietta Levee. Seasonal attractions include the Ohio River Sternwheeler Festival and select features of the Marietta Historic District, while Marietta College represents a private college located further east within the community.
On the West Virginia side, the community of Williamstown is located in Wood County and serves as a potential home for the Fenton Art Glass Collectors, while Henderson Hall is located further downstream approaching the Town of Boaz, West Virginia, serving as a historically significant home similar to the plantations of Ulster back in what is now Northern Ireland.
Within the area of Parkersburg proper are the Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History and the Oil and Gas Museum, while to the southeast is West Virginia University at Parkersburg, now an independent university distinct from Morgantown.
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