The "An Historic Susquehanna Beach Town: Part II" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with a woman who is taking her young child for a walk on the sidewalks of Marietta, Pennsylvania.  She and her older daughter, who is walking their pet dog, stopped to talk with me about the building I am standing in front of taking photographs.  

The Meeting House with graveyard around it.
Click on photographs to enlarge them.

Very interesting place that is solid brick and resembles a church.  A cemetery surrounds the building and new walkways are being placed around the building.  A cupola with metal weather vane sit atop the structure.  I asked the woman if she knew what purpose the building served in the community.  

A few of the tombstones that date to the early 1800s.

She said she grew up in Marietta and lived her entire life there.  Her son and older daughter were both married in the building.  She knew it as the  Meeting House.  I thanked her for her information as she continued on her way.  The building is on an unusual angle in the middle of what looked to be two streets that didn't meet where they were supposed to meet.  

The Old Town Hall Museum dated 1847.

Close by was another building called the "Old Town Hall Museum."  As I stood in front of that building I read a plaque that gave me part of my answer to the two buildings.  Seems that in 1812, two towns, New Haven and Waterford, were incorporated to form Marietta Borough.  New Haven and Waterford were developed by James Anderson and David Cook on a bend in the Susquehanna.  

An old black and white photo of the Old Town Hall.

The towns were located at a scenic 90 degree bend in the Susque- hanna River that was formerly known as Anderson's Ferry after the ferry boat that traversed people from one side to the other on the river.  The town got it's name due to the fact that the wives of both men where named Marietta.  The town was formed by joining the main streets of the two towns which resulted in the S-bend where I was standing.  

First bank built in Marietta.  Photo from Steve Bailey

On the small church-like building is a cornerstone with a date of 1818.  I found that the Union Meeting House was built and completed in 1818 and had space for a public burying ground.  The nearby Town Hall has a marble date block that carries the date of 1847.  Both buildings are in excellent condition and both beautiful.  

Current building as it appears today.

I found another remarkable building along Market Street that had a stone by the entrance- way that read Duffy- Rottmund House with a date of 1863.  Mr. James Duffy and two others purchased 161 acres of land and laid out 62 building lots and necessary streets.  One of the mansions along the street was the home to Mr. Duffy.  

The Duffy-Rottmund House built 1863.

Presidents Grant and Cleveland along with Supreme Court justices and railroad presidents made frequent visits to Mr. Duffy's house.  Not quite sure why, but didn't stop to ask.  Another building along Market Street is the First National Bank of Marietta.  It was built in 1863.  Check out some of the photographs I took during my recent visit to Marietta.  

View of the Susquehanna River from the
Northwest Lancaster River Trail.

Before I left the town I decided to make one last visit.  I followed the signs to the Northwest Lancaster River Trail.  Finally parked my car and began my trek along the river.  Didn't take long before I made a quick turn and return to my car.  As I walked through the vegetation along the trail to try to get to the water, I was accosted by a multitude of mosquito's.  Quickly found my way back to the car and headed out of of Marietta knowing I would return again to visit the musuems that happened to be closed the day I made my visit.  My trip to the town was interesting, but as my title says, I never found the beach as was suggested in Google's listing online.  Maybe my next trip.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Sign next to the door of the Music Box Museum.

The Music Box Museum on Market Street in Marietta, PA

I entered this town government building to ask for any brochures they might have on the history of the town.  Sadly they had none.  I did get one brochure on the Northwest Lancaster River Trail which I used to locate it.