Marietta is a town of about 14,000 people along the western boarder of Ohio just across the Ohio River from West Virginia. Third Street is the heart of their downtown. It is typical of other small U.S. towns that were founded in the 19th century, grew and prospered for decades, slowly lost their significance and then began to decline in income, economic stability and population. Yet Third Street has kept its pride and remains a pleasant place to live as do so many other small towns in the country’s heartland.
