Marietta - In honor of Marietta's 175th birthday, the Marietta Welcome Center & Visitors Bureau has created a self-guided audio tour of Marietta's historic sites. The tour takes participants through Marietta's historic districts and cemeteries and tells the colorful history of Marietta, from pioneer days to the present. The tour was also done to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Marietta Welcome Center & Visitors Bureau.

"We couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than to present Marietta's wonderful history to the public" said Theresa Jenkins, executive director of the bureau. "It's a great way for people to learn about the buildings and sites they pass every day."

The tour is available on CD and can be purchased from the Marietta Welcome Center & Visitors Bureau or the Historic Marietta Trolley Company for $2. The first 175 Marietta residents who come to the Welcome Center only will receive a complimentary CD as part of Marietta's 175th Birthday Celebration. To receive a CD, residents must show identification with a Marietta address and supplies are limited to one CD per family.

The project was made possible by a Techo-Tourism Grant from the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

The tour can also be downloaded to an iPod or MP3 player from www.mariettasquare.com by clicking on media room. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call (770) 429-1115 or visit www.mariettasquare.com.