Incorporated on February 16, 1854, Roswell remembers an original settler of the area, Roswell King. King and others traveled from the Georgia coast with the hopes of investing in mining. After discovering that this area lay near the Chattahoochee River, King decided instead to built a major textile mill powered by the water. The Roswell Manufacturing Co. and the Roswell Mill played key roles in the development of the town during its earlier history.
Roswell maintains a number of historic homes, notably Bulloch Hall, the childhood home of President Theodore Roosevelt's mother, Martha "Mittie" Bulloch. Also of interest are the Archibald Smith Plantation, the preserved home of one of Roswell's founding families, and Barrington Hall, the home of Barrington King, Roswell King's son.
For visitors who'd rather spend time outdoors, the Chattahoochee Nature Center encompasses 127 acres and offers four nature trails that wind through wetlands and woodlands.
Throughout the year Roswell hosts a number of events including the annual Roswell Arts Festival in September, the Youth Day Parade in October, Holiday on the Square in December and the Roswell Roots Festival in February. The city also sponsors the Riverside Sounds Concert Series the first Saturday of the month from May through October and the Roswell Magnolia Storytelling Festival in the spring.