Marietta sits at the junction of northwest metro Atlanta's major transportation corridors, roughly 20 miles from downtown Atlanta along I-75. As the Cobb County seat, it is both a suburban residential community and a significant employment center, home to one of the largest aerospace manufacturing campuses in the Southeast. The city's roughly 64,000 residents live in a landscape that spans 19th-century historic districts, mid-century subdivisions, and newer developments, all anchored by the civic and cultural hub of Marietta Square. The city's roots reach back to the 1830s, when settlers arrived in what was then Cherokee territory. Growth accelerated with the arrival of the Western and Atlantic Railroad in the 1840s, and Marietta incorporated in 1852. During the Civil War, the city became a strategic target in the Atlanta Campaign, and the nearby Kennesaw Mountain battlefield saw fierce fighting in the summer of 1864. General Sherman's troops occupied Marietta before the March to the Sea, and the city's recovery in the decades that followed produced much of the Victorian and early-20th-century architecture that still lines its historic streets. The 20th century transformed Marietta into an industrial powerhouse. The Bell Aircraft Corporation opened a massive B-29 bomber plant during World War II on what is now the Dobbins Air Reserve Base campus. After the war, Lockheed (later Lockheed Martin) took over the facility, and it remains one of metro Atlanta's largest private employers, designing and manufacturing military aircraft including the C-130 Hercules and F-35 Lightning II components. Dobbins ARB itself is home to the 94th Airlift Wing of the Air Force Reserve Command. Today Marietta balances its historic character with modern suburban growth. Marietta Square — a classic courthouse-square design with Glover Park at its center — is surrounded by independent restaurants, a popular food hall, the historic Strand Theatre, and a year-round farmers market. The city's neighborhoods range from the Victorian homes of the Church-Cherokee Historic District to quiet mid-century subdivisions and newer construction on the city's edges. This blend of history, jobs, and location continues to attract families, military personnel, and professionals who want established neighborhoods with direct access to Atlanta.