The Hilltop Restaurant, Pinkerton’s Bar, The Continental, and let’s not forget the sometimes-raucous BBF — these are just some of the places alumni bring up when talking about their glory days as a Marietta College student. 

Don’t worry, I’m not sharing anything beyond the names of the locations where some of you spent time outside of class and the heavy-hitting study marathons in Dawes or Legacy Library, but I will say, when I observe alums talking about these sites, I notice a certain look in their eyes. It could be nostalgia or pride that they were able to have such great memory-making times visiting local restaurants, bars, or remote wooded areas, and it also could be the fact that no one got caught. I’m sure there are many who agree that the absence of social media back then led to a bit more freedom and a whole lot less lecturing from parents. 

Recently, an alum asked if the town and gown situation ever improved. I recall there was a time when two communities existed: Marietta College and everywhere else in Washington County. I’ve written plenty of stories about our students doing great things in the community, and some of them choosing to build a life here after graduation. I don’t think I’ve heard a current or young alum refer to community members as “townies,” nor have I heard local folks speak disparagingly about our students. The talk is typically focused on some volunteer project or how wonderful our athletic teams are doing. 

Back to my original thought: memories from our past. In the previous issue, we asked for 1993 graduates to share some of their photos and stories with us for a special feature. It’s been 30 years since this class graduated and I think it would be fun to give these special Pioneers a blast from their past. You can either email them to marketing@marietta.edu or mail copies of them to me (Marietta Magazine/Marietta College, 215 Fifth St., Marietta, OH 45750). While I love visiting our Special Collections Department, I think it would be more enjoyable to capture your memories with your photos in the article. 

For future issues, TP and I will choose random years to highlight — so feel free to share stories of your class in an email. We’ll save them until your year is featured. 

As always, thank you for reading and sharing the magazine on your social media!