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Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society, tax-exempt since 1975, runs the Black History Walking Tour, the Junior Docents program and Junior Historian Summer Camps.

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It was a gorgeous day for our History Hike at Hyde Farm! Led by longtime Power Cabin resident, Morning Washburn, the tour offered participants exclusive access to restricted areas of the site along with a rare behind-the-scenes look at the ongoing reconstruction of the historic Power-Jackson Cabin. Don't miss out! Become a Cobb Landmarks member to be notified of upcoming events and receive early ticket access!

We were happy to welcome the @boothmuseum Artists' Guild to the Root House today! 🎨

Taking the formal parlor from Victorian Funeral to tea party in one minute. November means it's time to pack away our funeral exhibit at the William Root House and return the rooms to their regular interpretation (until we decorate for Christmas in December).

Take a stroll back in time to learn about Cobb County’s 19th century history on Sunday, November 8, at 10 a.m. during the Hyde Farm History Hike at Cobb County's Hyde Farm Park. Led by longtime Power Cabin resident, Morning Washburn, the tour offers exclusive access to restricted areas of the site along with a rare behind-the-scenes look at the ongoing reconstruction of the historic Power-Jackson Cabin. Tickets are available on the Cobb Landmarks website!

URGENT! Tell your Senators to Oppose S.5653 and protect community voices and historic places. For sixty years the National Historic Preservation Act has given communities a say before federally funded projects harm the places they love – it's why the Survivor Stairs still stand at the World Trade Center. Now a permitting bill in the Senate, S. 5653, would gut it. Many federally funded projects could skip review entirely. Harm that doesn’t involve a bulldozer wouldn’t count. And federal agencies could decide on their own that preservation doesn’t matter. We can build faster without bulldozing our history. Tell your Senators: fix it before you pass it. Link in bio!

SISTAAAS! Hocus Pocus beauty products are 25% OFF at the William Root House Gift Shop! Perfect for when you want to look young and beautiful but want to avoid stealing the lives of all the children in Salem.

Don't miss this chance for an up-close look at items personally owned by Houdini! Magician, daredevil escape artist, actor, pioneering aviator, and cultural icon - there will never be another like him. Join James Freeman, owner of Freeman and Fugate Oddities Company, for a presentation on the man behind the myth: Erich Weiss. Lecture tickets are available on our website. Space is limited!

Join us for a hike through the historic Hyde Farm and Power Cabin properties in East Cobb on November 8th. Morning Washburn—longtime resident of the Power Cabin and expert on the area's rich history—will serve as our guide. Guests will enjoy exclusive access to parts of the site not usually open to the public. Space is limited. Tickets are $25 and must be purchased online in advance through the Cobb Landmarks website.

Learn about the newest addition to our Victorian Funeral collection - an authentic 19th century death mask.

Testing out our booth set-up for @cherokeeheightsartsfest on Saturday! What do you think about our blue Marietta sweatshirts we made especially for the festival? Hope to see you there!

Experience a Victorian funeral at the William Root House in downtown Marietta this October. 🔦👻⚰️

We are happy to share an update on the restoration and reconstruction of the Power-Jackson Cabin in East Cobb. The Power-Jackson Cabin is a rare single-pen log house that originally stood along Post Oak Tritt Road. The cabin had been neglected and was facing the threat of site development. After acquiring the cabin from the property owner, Cobb Landmarks and Cobb County PARKS reached an agreement in 2023 to relocate the cabin to Hyde Farm Park for reconstruction. Cobb Landmarks raised more than $70,000 in private funds for the project. On April 9, 2024, the Cobb County Board of Commissioners approved the use of Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds to cover the remaining costs. To ensure the cabin is restored with the highest level of craftsmanship and historical accuracy, the logs were temporarily relocated to Tennessee. There, the experts at Leatherwood, Inc. conducted a comprehensive assessment of the structure. During this specialized process, each log was inspected to determine which original timbers and boards remained sound and which pieces required careful replacement due to weathering and deterioration. This meticulous review was essential for the long-term stability of what could be the oldest existing structure in Cobb County. Now that Leatherwood has completed the restoration of the individual components, the cabin has returned to Hyde Farm Park for reconstruction. We are proud to have played a role in saving this important piece of Cobb County history, and we thank our donors and partners for helping make this possible. Stay tuned for more updates!

Join us for a Midnight Wake at the William Root House this Saturday night! Tickets are still available. Space is limited!

Marietta's Ivy Grove was originally constructed in 1843 for Edward Denmead and his family. Denmead came to Marietta in 1838 and made a small fortune contracting for the construction of the Western & Atlantic Railroad. In 1855, he opened the first bank in Marietta, and he built the Kennesaw Mills complex in Marietta in 1857. During the 1880s, the house was remodeled in the Queen Anne style (pictured at top). In 1925, a fire destroyed the structure. A new home was built on the original foundation, and the original Doric columns were retained. At this time, the house was reoriented so that the side porch became the new front entry. Another bit of trivia: When "Gone With the Wind" returned to theaters in 1961 for the Civil War centennial, actress Olivia de Havilland visited Ivy Grove as part of her Atlanta media tour.

We are happy to share that the Power-Jackson Cabin has returned to Cobb County for reconstruction! The Power-Jackson Cabin is a rare single-pen log house which originally stood along Post Oak Tritt Road. The cabin had been neglected and was facing the threat of site development. Cobb Landmarks advocated for the Power-Jackson Cabin's preservation. Our efforts included meeting with Cobb County Commissioners, speaking at Cobb County Planning Commission Zoning Hearings, and securing an expert evaluation of the cabin. After acquiring the cabin from the property owner, Cobb Landmarks and Cobb County PARKS reached an agreement in 2023 to relocate the cabin to Hyde Farm Park. On April 9, 2024, the Cobb County Board of Commissioners approved the use of Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds to reconstruct the cabin at Hyde Farm Park. To ensure the cabin is restored with the highest level of craftsmanship and historical accuracy, the logs were temporarily relocated to Tennessee. There, the experts at Leatherwood, Inc. conducted a comprehensive assessment of the structure. During this specialized process, each log will was inspected to determine which original timbers and boards remained sound and which pieces required careful replacement due to weathering and deterioration. This meticulous review was essential for the long-term stability of what could be the oldest existing structure in Cobb County. Now that Leatherwood has completed the restoration of the individual components, the cabin has return to Hyde Farm Park for reconstruction. We look forward to seeing this rare piece of Georgia history standing alongside the other two historic Power family cabins located at Hyde Farm. Stay tuned for more updates! If you support historic preservation efforts like this, please consider becoming an annual donor! Cobb Landmarks is a private nonprofit and we rely 100% on the generosity of sponsors, foundations, and individuals - people like you! Donate online at CobbLandmarks.com/Give.

DYK? We now carry @savannahbeeco in our Gift Shop! Savannah Bee Company was founded in 2002 with the mission to sell the best beehive products while educating others about the fascinating world of honeybees. Because the William Root House has a certified pollinator garden, it made perfect sense to add Savannah Bee Company to our Gift Shop! Our shop is located at the Root House inside a refurbished 1830s log cabin and is open Wed-Sat, 10am-4pm. All sales support Cobb Landmarks and the Root House Museum!

Before white settlement, the rich bottomlands around Big and Little Allatoona Creeks were farmed by the Cherokee and earlier Indigenous communities. These smooth, bowl-like depressions carved into a rock along Allatoona Creek in northwest Cobb were used by Indigenous peoples to grind acorns, nuts, and corn. A lasting connection to these early inhabitants, these “bedrock mortars” can be found at Leone Hall Price Park off Stilesboro Road.

Standing on one of Cobb County’s last original 19th-century unpaved roads. Long before asphalt and highway lines, this dirt road led Winifred and George Power home to their log cabin near the Chattahoochee River. Places like this—where history feels completely untouched—are becoming a rare gift. Learn more about the Power Family Cabin at CobbLandmarks.com/PowerCabin.

Historic preservation across the country—and right here in Cobb County—is facing an unprecedented challenge. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) recently advanced sweeping revisions to the regulations governing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). What is Section 106? It's a vital federal safeguard that gives local municipalities, tribal nations, preservation experts, and everyday residents a voice whenever federal funds or permits are being used for local development. It covers everything from road widenings and utility expansions to data centers and large commercial projects. Under the proposed changes, public input and consultation with state and local preservation leaders would become discretionary rather than mandatory. This means projects—such as widening streets in historic neighborhoods—could move forward without requiring feedback from the city, neighbors, Cobb Landmarks, or the State Historic Preservation Office. Historic preservation and community progress are not mutually exclusive. As the NHPA states, preserving history is essential to giving the American people a sense of place. I invite you to contact your legislators and urge them to protect Section 106 so our community retains a seat at the table. Jennifer Flood Board Chair, Cobb Landmarks & Historical Society, Inc.

When we partnered with @cobbcountyparksandrec to rescue the Power-Jackson cabin, we knew a portion of the logs would be unsalvageable due to years of neglect. Thankfully, skilled craftspeople have hewn replacement logs using many of the same axe and hand-tool techniques utilized centuries ago. The cabin is currently in Tennessee for its initial assembly and fitting. Once it's put together, every log will be tagged, numbered, and transported back home to Cobb County for final reconstruction at Hyde Farm Park. Stay tuned for more updates!

Nellie Mae Rowe was one of the most significant self-taught Black folk artists of the 20th century. Last night we had the pleasure of hosting Nellie Mae Rowe’s great-great-niece, Cathi Perry, for an intimate discussion about how Rowe transformed her Vinings home into a “Playhouse” using vivid drawings, sculptures, and found-object art. Cathi even brought a few original artworks for our guests to view. 😍

Juneteenth at the William Root House Museum

Exciting news! For those who have been following along as we've shared updates about our Franklin tree - when we arrived at the William Root House this morning we discovered that it is currently in bloom! Native to the Altamaha River valley in Georgia, Franklin trees have been extinct in the wild since at least the 1840s. American botanist William Bartram first observed the tree growing in Georgia in 1765. The cause of its extinction in the wild is not known. Like all of the Franklin trees known to exist today, the tree growing at the Root House is descended directly from seeds collected by Bartram hundreds of years ago. We appreciate the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County for taking such great care of our tree. These trees have a reputation among gardeners as being difficult to cultivate, especially in urban environments. If you are in the area, it's definitely worth stopping by the museum to see! @mastergardenerscobbcounty

Searching for Father's Day gifts? Don't forget to stop by our Gift Shop at the William Root House! Open Wed-Sat, 10am-4pm.

Juneteenth, also known as "Freedom Day," marks the end of slavery in the United States. In 1860 Marietta had a population of approximately 2,600. At the time, Marietta's slave population was 1,175, meaning that almost 45% of Marietta’s total population was enslaved. On June 19th, the William Root House will commemorate "Freedom Day" with special Juneteenth programming and free museum admission. The event will run from 10am to 4pm with scheduled activities throughout the day. Offerings include guided museum tours, storytime, crafts, cooking demonstrations, and more.

Our archive and collections volunteers are the unsung heroes who work tirelessly behind the scenes, using their time on Saturdays to bring order to our collections. We are so thankful for them and everything they do!

This week we hosted our Bees & Botany Summer Camp at the William Root House! Campers learned about plants and pollinators in the Root House’s historic gardens. They learned to tell the difference between ornamental, medicinal, and edible plants, taste tested different flavors of honey, and learned how to care for plants from our Master Gardeners. Our upcoming Pioneer Camp is sold out, but we still have a few spaces available for our Finishing School Camp in July! Register at RootHouseMuseum.com.

We are thrilled to share that our Executive Director, Trevor Beemon, has been selected for the Cobb Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Cobb Class of 2027! Adding to the excitement, Trevor was also awarded the inaugural Cobb Arts VIBE scholarship, funded by Cobb Travel & Tourism, which will cover half of his tuition costs. Trevor’s selection is a testament to his dedication to historic preservation and public history here in Cobb County. We know this year-long experience will empower him with new insights to strengthen our community and continue preserving our shared history. Congratulations, Trevor! And thanks to this lovely group of Leadership Cobb Alumni for stopping by Trevor's office to make the announcement such a special surprise!

Here's a sneak peek at our Antique Market at the William Root House! Our Preview Sale is this evening (May 1st) from 5pm to 7pm. Tickets for the Preview Sale are $10. What's left after the Preview Sale will go on sale to the general public this Saturday (May 2) from 9am to 1pm. Come find some treasures and support Cobb Landmarks!

We're excited to announce "Pints for Preservation," a month-long fundraising initiative in honor of National Historic Preservation Month. Throughout May, five metro Atlanta breweries and taprooms are teaming up to support Cobb Landmarks' historic preservation efforts. Participating establishments include: Atlanta Hard Cider (Marietta) Frog Rock Brewery (Austell) Glover Park Brewery (Marietta) Reformation Brewery (Smyrna) Stillfire Brewing (Smyrna) Each have committed to donating a portion of their proceeds during the entire month of May. When patrons enjoy a designated beverage at any of these locations, they are directly contributing to our ongoing mission to research, preserve, and promote local history. Remember to pick up a Preservation Passport to track your journey across the county and explore Cobb County's unique history and charm! Cheers! 🍻

We'll be highlighting items from our collection as we commemorate America's 250th this year. Shown here is a glass whiskey decanter from the 1830s-40s. While glass pocket flasks date to the 1700s, by the 1820s, advancements in mold-blown glass production allowed images like George Washington and the American Eagle to be mass-produced. This bottle is especially remarkable because it's one of the few surviving objects that actually belonged to the Root family. It's interesting to imagine these patriotic symbols making their way to the Marietta frontier so many years ago. This bottle is on display in the Family Parlor at the William Root House.

Don't miss seeing one of the rarest trees in the world growing right here in Marietta.

What can 20,000 pieces of 130-year-old trash tell us about the women of 19th-century Atlanta? Uncovered during the construction of the MARTA rail lines in the 1970s, the artifacts of Site 9DA89 reveal a story you won’t find in history books. Join archaeologist Brenna Munson at the William Root House on May 16th, as she explains what these discarded household items tell us about female identity, domesticity, and social change in post-Reconstruction Atlanta. Tickets are $15 per person and must be purchased online in advance at CobbLandmarks.com.

DYK? The William Root House isn't just a museum for adults. Activity books, scavenger hunts, and interactive areas (like this photo booth) make a visit to the Root House engaging for all ages! Plan your visit at RootHouseMuseum.com!

Preservation peeps know how this feels! 😍

Hey besties! We’re dropping our vision for the William Root House 2.0 and she's def giving main character energy. While the 1840s vibe was a mood for a minute, let’s be real—it’s been giving "ancient" lately and not in a retro-cool way. To make the house more aesthetic and high-key Instagrammable, we’ve officially pivoted to a Modern Farmhouse glow-up! The exterior? We’re painting it stark white with matte black accents because contrast is everything. The layout inside? Gutted for open concept - adding shiplap everywhere. Wait, we actually already have shiplap… is shiplap still giving? Anyways, happy April Fools Day!

This dramatic before-and-after shows the master bedroom of the William Root House in 1991 (above) and as it appears today (below). This was the last room in the Root House to undergo restoration and furnishing; it was completed and opened to the public in 2019. The pink paint and faux black marbling on the fireplace mantel were matched through paint analysis to ensure historical accuracy. Interactive touchscreens have been installed in each room of the house, giving visitors the opportunity to read about the spaces, examine family photos and documents, and watch educational videos.

This Marietta house began as a two-story Victorian-style residence distinguished by its circular porches. After brief ownership periods, it was purchased by Dr. J.D. Malone, a prominent Marietta physician and president of the World War I Soldiers Welfare Commission. During the early 1930s, a house fire destroyed the second story. Architect Montgomery Anderson redesigned the home, altering the roofline and removing the porches to give the house a more restrained Colonial-style appearance. In 1975, Justice Harris Hines (later of the Georgia Supreme Court) and his wife, Helen, acquired the property. While the first floor remains original, retaining its heart pine floors, stairwell, millwork, and large central hall, the couple converted the damaged second story into a new bedroom, bath, and den area in the 1980s. Come tour this and many more private residences during the Spring Ramble, April 24–26, 2026! We’re teaming up with @thegeorgiatrust to put on this three-day historic home tour. Tickets are available online now at GeorgiaTrust.org.

1990s views of Marietta from our collection.

This gorgeous Marietta home was originally built as a story-and-a-half Victorian cottage in 1893. In 1901, Dr. Peter R. Cortelyou purchased the house as a wedding gift for his son, Adrian, upon his marriage to Harriett Whitlock. Harriett was the daughter of Milledge Whitlock, the proprietor of The Whitlock Inn. After a fire in 1924, the Cortelyous added a full second story and remodeled the house in the Colonial Revival Style. Following Harriett’s death in 1927, Adrian married Sarah Patton. They had a daughter, Patricia, who grew up in the home. Upon the death of Sarah Cortelyou in 1978, Patricia's daughter, Adrian, and her husband, Jim Pressley, moved into the home. The Pressleys remain in the home today, making it one of the longest-occupied homes by a single family in Marietta. Come tour this home - and many other private residences - during the Spring Ramble, April 24th-26th. The tour is being hosted by @thegeorgiatrust in partnership with @cobblandmarks. Tickets are available now at GeorgiaTrust.org.

Today Cobb Landmarks coordinated tours of the Herndon Home in Atlanta. Built by Alonzo Herndon—an Atlanta businessman who rose from slavery to become Georgia’s first Black millionaire—this 15-room Beaux-Arts mansion stands as a testament to his determination. Designed primarily by Herndon’s first wife, Adrienne, and constructed by skilled African American craftsmen, the home features a stunning collection of original furnishings, documents, and family photos. A special THANK YOU to our friends at the Herndon Home for welcoming us, and to all the folks who bought tickets and joined us!

George Keeler, Sr., built this beautiful Queen Anne Victorian home on Cherokee Street in Marietta sometime around 1890. In 1915 this house was purchased by James Remley Brumby, Jr., son of Thomas M. Brumby (owner of the Brumby Chair Company). Today the house features many Victorian-era details including original millwork, period hardware, ornate fireplaces, and gorgeous leaded windows. This home is currently on the market and is listed by Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty.

Up in Tennessee, the "footprint" for the Power-Jackson Cabin is officially being staked out! This is the spot where the cabin will be temporarily put back together so the experts at Leatherwood, Inc. can get a good look at every single log. The team will be inspecting the timbers one by one to see which ones have stood the test of time and which ones need a little TLC (or a full replacement) after years of weathering and neglect. Once the Leatherwood crew finishes restoring all the individual pieces, the cabin will be taken apart one last time and shipped back home to Hyde Farm Park. From there, it’ll be reconstructed like a giant Lego set!

From our collection - an 1871 poster advertising the Concord Woolen Mills. The mill was established by the Concord Manufacturing Company along Nickajack Creek in 1869. After the mill burned in 1889, it was rebuilt and continued to operate several more years. By 1915 the mill was no longer in operation and eventually fell into ruin. When the East-West Connector was built during the 1990s, Cobb County Government added a "ghost frame" to stabilize the remains. Today, the ruins are preserved inside Heritage Park, located at 60 Fontaine Road, Mableton, GA 30126.

From our archive - an early 1990s view of the Lost Mountain Store in the snow. This iconic country store was constructed in 1881 at the corner of Dallas Highway and Mars Hill Road. It was built by Judge Aaron Bartlett near the site of a popular Native American trading post dating back to the early 19th century. Bartlett is credited for making each brick by hand. The store was rehabilitated in 1996 and is now home to a local financial institution. Reclaimed wood from the original counter and shelves was used to create the bank counter and conference room table. The original store sign, artifacts, and memorabilia are on display in a mini exhibit inside the building. Today the store is one of Cobb County's most recognizable landmarks, with paintings and prints of the building sold throughout the United States and beyond.

Born into slavery in Walton County, Georgia, Alonzo Herndon left his home in 1878 with eleven dollars. He eventually moved to Atlanta and opened a barbershop, the Crystal Palace, which became famous for its luxury, featuring crystal chandeliers and gold fixtures. In 1905, Herndon used the money he earned from his barbershops to buy an insurance association. He reorganized it into the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. This business became incredibly successful because it provided insurance to African American families who were often denied coverage by white-owned companies. In 1910, Herndon had a 15-room Beaux-Arts mansion constructed in Atlanta. Designed primarily by Herndon’s first wife, Adrienne, and constructed by skilled African American craftsmen, the home features a stunning collection of original furnishings, documents, and family photos. Join us as we take a field trip to Atlanta on January 31st for a private tour of the Herndon Home led by Mary Ilonah. Space is limited. Tickets are available online at CobbLandmarks.com.

20% OFF remaining Christmas merchandise! PLUS, get a FREE Marietta coffee mug when you spend $40 or more in-store (while supplies last). Our Gift Shop is located at the William Root House and is open Wed-Sat, 10am-4pm.

The Marietta Pilgrimage Home Tour concludes today! Tour homes are open 9am-4pm! Tickets are still available at the William Root House or Marietta Welcome Center. Don't miss out! MariettaPilgrimage.com

The Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour continues Sunday, 9am-4pm! Tickets are still available at the @wmroothouse or Marietta Welcome Center. MariettaPilgrimage.com

The Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour continues Saturday and Sunday, 9am-4pm! Tickets are still available at the @wmroothouse or Marietta Welcome Center. MariettaPilgrimage.com

We kicked off the Marietta Pilgrimage Home Tour with a candlelight tour tonight! The tour continues Saturday and Sunday, 9am-4pm. Get your ticket at the William Root House or Marietta Welcome Center. MariettaPilgrimage.com

Make plans to attend the 39th annual Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour! This year, get a glimpse inside five private homes located in the Kennesaw Avenue Neighborhood in Marietta, Georgia. Each home will be decorated for the holiday season. Community volunteers, Visit Marietta, and Cobb Landmarks & Historical Society organize this annual fundraiser, which has been featured in Southern Living and named a Top 100 Event in North America. Stop by the @wmroothouse or Marietta Welcome Center to get your tickets! MariettaPilgrimage.com

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