[7] Marlinton is named for Jacob Marlin, who, along with Stephen Sewell, became the first non-native settlers west of the Allegheny Mountains, in the Greenbrier Valley in 1749.

[8] Located at Marlinton and listed on the National Register of Historic Places are the Frank and Anna Hunter House, IOOF Lodge Building, Marlinton Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Station, Marlinton Opera House, Pocahontas County Courthouse and Jail, and Pocahontas Times Print Shop.

[9] Located near Marlinton are Droop Mountain Battlefield and New Deal Resources in Watoga State Park Historic District.

[9] As a result of its rural location and proximity to the facilities of the United States National Radio Quiet Zone, the town has been a late adopter of broadband Internet.

A 2018 article in Motherboard explains that the nearby Snowshoe Mountain ski resort has been able to provide fast internet, WiFi, and cell phone coverage by having a custom system built which is specially designed so as not to interfere with radio telescopes.

[10] It is located in the southwest part of the United States National Radio Quiet Zone.

The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round.

[citation needed] Marlinton is home to the Roadkill Cook-off and Hudson Cream West Virginia Biscuit Bake Off during the Autumn Harvest Festival.

[15][16] The Roadkill Cook-off was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid pandemic but organizers have restarted the tradition in 2022 and continued to 2023.