Marietta got it's start on silver-lead in the 1860's. Salt mining began on Teel's Marsh in 1867 and the product was sent to the mills of Virginia City by camel trains and to Aurora by pack mules. In 1872 "Borax" Smith found valuable borate in the marsh. In 1877 Marietta became a town with a population of 150 people, a post office, and several businesses, including a general store owned by "Borax" Smith. A 5-stamp mill, originally set up by the state of Nevada at Philadelphia's Centennial Exhibition was moved in here 1877. During this same year the daily stage was robbed 30 times.
"Borax" Smith later made famous the 20-mule team wagons that you still see on "Borax" boxes.