Times begins 17th decade: Newspaper has reflected Marietta since 1864

Newspaper has reflected Marietta since 1864

When Walter Hood published the first edition of The Marietta Times on Sept. 24, 1864, he started a business that has continued for 160 years, making it one of the oldest businesses in town.

The Times has been a window for Marietta area residents to view the important stories of the day through more than 40,000 editions. Spanning 16 decades, The Times has employed hundreds of people over the years to report news as it happened, print it and deliver to homes throughout the area.

As the paper moves into a 17th decade, we celebrate the fact that for generations we have been a part of area homes, sharing the triumphs and tragedies that have shaped our community.

Today we share some of the front pages that we have printed along the way. Tomorrow, and continuing until Sept 24, we will feature a different decade of the journey we have taken.

Looking at a single issue from the anniversary week from the start of each decade, we will explore how the newspaper and the community have changed over the years.

The pages will have a QR code that will allow you to read the complete edition of the newspapers featured.

All of the newspapers were captured from the microfilm archive of the newspaper. Both the Washington County Public Library and the Marietta College Legacy Library Special Collections maintain copies of all the editions of The Times. Both are available to the public.