Counties of West Virginia
West Virginia counties (clickable map)
West Virginia counties (clickable map)
LocationState of West Virginia
Number55
Populations5,091 (Wirt) – 175,515 (Kanawha)
Areas83 square miles (210 km2) (Hancock) – 1,040 square miles (2,700 km2) (Randolph)
Government
Subdivisions

The U.S. state of West Virginia has 55 counties. Fifty of them existed at the time of the Wheeling Convention in 1861, during the American Civil War, when those counties seceded from the Commonwealth of Virginia to form the new state of West Virginia.[1] West Virginia was admitted as a separate state of the United States on June 20, 1863.[2] Five additional counties (Grant, Mineral, Lincoln, Summers, and Mingo) were formed from the original counties[1] in the decades following admission.

After the Civil War, Berkeley County and Jefferson County, the two easternmost counties of West Virginia, refused to recognize their inclusion in the state, and the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation attempting to reclaim them. In March 1866, the United States Congress passed a joint mandate assenting to their inclusion in the new state, and the Supreme Court of the United States confirmed this outcome in the case of Virginia v. West Virginia (1871).[3][4]

The West Virginia Constitution was ratified in 1872, replacing the state constitution created in 1863 when West Virginia became a state.[5] Article 9, Section 8, of the West Virginia Constitution permits the creation of additional counties if a majority of citizens in the proposed new county vote for its creation and the new county has a minimum area of 400 square miles (1,036 km2) and a population of at least 6,000. Creation of a new county is prohibited if it would bring another county below these thresholds.[6] Three counties (Greenbrier, Kanawha, and Randolph) have sufficient population (based on the 2020 United States Census) and land area to allow a new county to be split off.[6][7][8] The remaining counties cannot be split, as either their land area would decrease to under 400 square miles, or their population would decrease to below 6,000.[6][7][8]

The role of counties in local government had been minimized under the 1863 constitution, which vested most local government authority in a system of townships based on the New England model. The authors of the 1872 constitution chose to return to the system used in Virginia, in which each county was governed by a county court with combined authority for executive, legislative, and judicial functions of the county government.[9] In 1880, West Virginia amended its constitution and replaced the county court system with an arrangement that divides county government powers between seven county offices, each of which is independently elected: the county commission, county clerk, circuit clerk, county sheriff, county assessor, county prosecuting attorney, and county surveyor of lands.[10] Counties have only those powers that are expressly granted to them by the state Constitution or by state statute. These powers include, but are not limited to, maintaining the infrastructure of the state, funding libraries, maintaining jails and hospitals, and waste disposal.[10] Reforming public education became a county function in 1933. In May 1933, a county unit plan was adopted. Under this plan, the state's 398 school districts were consolidated into the current 55 county school systems. This enabled public schools to be funded more economically and saved West Virginia millions of dollars.[11]

Randolph County is the largest by area at 1,040 square miles (2,694 km2), and Hancock County is the smallest at 83 square miles (215 km2).[8] Kanawha County contributed land to the founding of 12 West Virginia counties[12] and has the largest population (175,515 in 2022). Wirt County has the smallest population (5,091 in 2022).[8] The oldest county is Hampshire, established in 1754, and the newest is Mingo, established in 1895.[1] Spruce Knob, located in Pendleton County, is the state's highest point at 4,863 feet (1,482 m).[13] Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) codes, which are used by the United States government to identify counties uniquely, are five-digit numbers. For West Virginia, they start with 54 and end with the three-digit county code (for example, Barbour County has FIPS code 54001). Each county's code is provided in the table below, linked to census data for that county.[14]

Counties

County
FIPS code[14] County seat[7] Est.[1] Origin[1][12] Etymology[1][12] Population[15] Area[7] Map
Barbour County 001 Philippi1843Harrison, Lewis, and Randolph countiesPhilip P. Barbour
(1783–1841)
United States Speaker of the House
(1821–23)
15,414 341 sq mi
(883 km2)
State map highlighting Barbour County
Berkeley County 003 Martinsburg1772Frederick County (Virginia)Norborne Berkeley
(1717–70)
Royal Governor of Virginia
(1768–70)
129,490 321 sq mi
(831 km2)
State map highlighting Berkeley County
Boone County 005 Madison1847Cabell, Kanawha, and Logan countiesDaniel Boone
(1734–1820)
American frontiersman
20,968 503 sq mi
(1,303 km2)
State map highlighting Boone County
Braxton County 007 Sutton1836Kanawha, Lewis, and Nicholas countiesCarter Braxton
(1736–97)
Signer of the Declaration of Independence
12,185 514 sq mi
(1,331 km2)
State map highlighting Braxton County
Brooke County 009 Wellsburg1796Ohio CountyRobert Brooke
(1761–1800)
Governor of Virginia
(1794–96)
21,733 89 sq mi
(231 km2)
State map highlighting Brooke County
Cabell County 011 Huntington1809Kanawha CountyWilliam H. Cabell
(1772–1853)
Governor of Virginia
(1805–08)
92,730 282 sq mi
(730 km2)
State map highlighting Cabell County
Calhoun County 013 Grantsville1856Gilmer CountyJohn C. Calhoun
(1782–1850)
United States Vice President
(1825–32)
6,068 281 sq mi
(728 km2)
State map highlighting Calhoun County
Clay County 015 Clay1858Braxton and Nicholas countiesHenry Clay
(1777–1852)
United States Senator Kentucky
(1823–25)
United States Speaker of the House
(1849–52)
7,814 342 sq mi
(886 km2)
State map highlighting Clay County
Doddridge County 017 West Union1845Harrison, Lewis, Ritchie, and Tyler countiesPhilip Doddridge
(1773–1832)
United States Congressman (Virginia)
(1829–32)
7,698 320 sq mi
(829 km2)
State map highlighting Doddridge County
Fayette County 019 Fayetteville1831Kanawha, Greenbrier, Logan, and Nicholas countiesMarquis de Lafayette
(1757–1834)
French-born American Revolutionary War General
39,487 664 sq mi
(1,720 km2)
State map highlighting Fayette County
Gilmer County 021 Glenville1845Kanawha and Lewis countiesThomas Walker Gilmer
(1802–44)
United States Secretary of the Navy
(1844)
Governor of Virginia
(1840–41)
7,325 340 sq mi
(881 km2)
State map highlighting Gilmer County
Grant County 023 Petersburg1866Hardy CountyUlysses S. Grant
(1822–85)
United States President
(1869–77)
10,968 477 sq mi
(1,235 km2)
State map highlighting Grant County
Greenbrier County 025 Lewisburg1778Montgomery County (Virginia) and Botetourt County (Virginia)Greenbrier River 32,435 1,021 sq mi
(2,644 km2)
State map highlighting Greenbrier County
Hampshire County 027 Romney1754Augusta County (Virginia) and Frederick County (Virginia)County of Hampshire in England 23,468 642 sq mi
(1,663 km2)
State map highlighting Hampshire County
Hancock County 029 New Cumberland1848Brooke CountyJohn Hancock
(1737–93)
One of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence
Governor of Massachusetts
(1780–85)
and (1787–93)
28,172 83 sq mi
(215 km2)
State map highlighting Hancock County
Hardy County 031 Moorefield1786Hampshire CountySamuel Hardy
(1758–85)
Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress
(1783–85)
14,192 583 sq mi
(1,510 km2)
State map highlighting Hardy County
Harrison County 033 Clarksburg1784Monongalia CountyBenjamin Harrison V
(1726–91)
Governor of Virginia
(1781–84)
64,915 416 sq mi
(1,077 km2)
State map highlighting Harrison County
Jackson County 035 Ripley1831Kanawha, Mason, and Wood countiesAndrew Jackson
(1767–1845)
United States President
(1829–37)
27,716 466 sq mi
(1,207 km2)
State map highlighting Jackson County
Jefferson County 037 Charles Town1801Berkeley CountyThomas Jefferson
(1743–1826)
United States President
(1801–09)
58,979 210 sq mi
(544 km2)
State map highlighting Jefferson County
Kanawha County 039 Charleston1789Greenbrier and Montgomery County (Virginia)Kanawha River 175,515 903 sq mi
(2,339 km2)
State map highlighting Kanawha County
Lewis County 041 Weston1816Harrison CountyCharles Lewis
(1736–74)
American Colonel killed at the
Battle of Point Pleasant[16]
16,767 389 sq mi
(1,008 km2)
State map highlighting Lewis County
Lincoln County 043 Hamlin1867Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, and Putnam countiesAbraham Lincoln
(1809–65)
United States President
(1861–65)
19,901 438 sq mi
(1,134 km2)
State map highlighting Lincoln County
Logan County 045 Logan1824Cabell and Kanawha counties, Giles County (Virginia), and Tazewell County (Virginia)Chief Logan
(c.1723-80)
Mingo leader
31,316 454 sq mi
(1,176 km2)
State map highlighting Logan County
Marion County 049 Fairmont1842Harrison and Monongalia countiesFrancis Marion
(1732–95)
American Revolutionary War General
(1757–82)
55,952 310 sq mi
(803 km2)
State map highlighting Marion County
Marshall County 051 Moundsville1835Ohio CountyJohn Marshall
(1755–1835)
United States Secretary of State
(1800–01)
Chief Justice of the United States
(1801–35)
29,752 307 sq mi
(795 km2)
State map highlighting Marshall County
Mason County 053 Point Pleasant1804Kanawha CountyGeorge Mason
(1725–92)
United States Constitutional Convention
"Father of the Bill of Rights"
25,000 432 sq mi
(1,119 km2)
State map highlighting Mason County
McDowell County 047 Welch1858Tazewell County (Virginia)James McDowell
(1795–1851)
Governor of Virginia
(1843–46)
17,850 535 sq mi
(1,386 km2)
State map highlighting McDowell County
Mercer County 055 Princeton1837Giles County (Virginia) and Tazewell County (Virginia)Hugh Mercer
(1726–77)
American Revolutionary War General
(1775–76)
58,700 420 sq mi
(1,088 km2)
State map highlighting Mercer County
Mineral County 057 Keyser1866Hampshire Countyabundant mineral resources 26,855 328 sq mi
(850 km2)
State map highlighting Mineral County
Mingo County 059 Williamson1895Logan CountyMingo Native Americans 22,573 423 sq mi
(1,096 km2)
State map highlighting Mingo County
Monongalia County 061 Morgantown1776Augusta County (Virginia)Latin derivation for Monongahela River 106,869 361 sq mi
(935 km2)
State map highlighting Monongalia County
Monroe County 063 Union1799Greenbrier CountyJames Monroe
(1758–1831)
United States Senator (Virginia)
(1790–94)
Governor of Virginia
(1799–1802)
and (1811)
United States President
(1817–25)
12,296 473 sq mi
(1,225 km2)
State map highlighting Monroe County
Morgan County 065 Berkeley Springs1820Berkeley and Hampshire countiesDaniel Morgan
(1736–1802)
United States Congressman (Virginia)
(1797–99)
17,430 229 sq mi
(593 km2)
State map highlighting Morgan County
Nicholas County 067 Summersville1818Greenbrier, Kanawha, and Randolph countiesWilson Cary Nicholas
(1761–1820)
United States Senator (Virginia)
(1799–1804)
Governor of Virginia
(1814–16)
24,335 649 sq mi
(1,681 km2)
State map highlighting Nicholas County
Ohio County 069 Wheeling1776Augusta County (Virginia)Ohio River 41,447 106 sq mi
(275 km2)
State map highlighting Ohio County
Pendleton County 071 Franklin1788Augusta County (Virginia), Rockingham County (Virginia), and HardyEdmund Pendleton
(1721–1803)
First Continental Congress
(1774)
6,011 698 sq mi
(1,808 km2)
State map highlighting Pendleton County
Pleasants County 073 Saint Marys1851Ritchie, Tyler, and Wood countiesJames Pleasants, Jr.
(1769–1836)
United States Senator (Virginia)
(1819–22)
Governor of Virginia
(1822–25)
7,586 131 sq mi
(339 km2)
State map highlighting Pleasants County
Pocahontas County 075 Marlinton1821Bath County (Virginia), Pendleton, and RandolphPocahontas
(c.1595–1617)
Powhatan Native American slave of early English settlers
7,819 940 sq mi
(2,435 km2)
State map highlighting Pocahontas County
Preston County 077 Kingwood1818Monongalia CountyJames Patton Preston
(1774–1843)
Governor of Virginia
(1816–19)
34,172 648 sq mi
(1,678 km2)
State map highlighting Preston County
Putnam County 079 Winfield1848Cabell, Kanawha, and Mason countiesIsrael Putnam
(1718–90)
American Revolutionary War General
57,015 346 sq mi
(896 km2)
State map highlighting Putnam County
Raleigh County 081 Beckley1850Fayette CountySir Walter Raleigh
(1554–1618)
English explorer and poet
72,882 607 sq mi
(1,572 km2)
State map highlighting Raleigh County
Randolph County 083 Elkins1787Harrison CountyEdmund Jennings Randolph
(1753–1813)
Governor of Virginia
(1786–88)
First United States Attorney General
(1789–94)
27,600 1,040 sq mi
(2,694 km2)
State map highlighting Randolph County
Ritchie County 085 Harrisville1843Harrison, Lewis, and Wood countiesThomas Ritchie
(1778–1854)
nationally influential Virginia newspaper publisher
8,207 454 sq mi
(1,176 km2)
State map highlighting Ritchie County
Roane County 087 Spencer1856Gilmer, Jackson, and Kanawha countiesSpencer Roane
(1762–1822)
Virginia Supreme Court Justice
(1794–1822)
13,834 484 sq mi
(1,254 km2)
State map highlighting Roane County
Summers County 089 Hinton1871Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer, and Monroe countiesGeorge W. Summers
(1804–68)
United States Congressman (Virginia)
(1843)
11,762 361 sq mi
(935 km2)
State map highlighting Summers County
Taylor County 091 Grafton1844Barbour, Harrison, Marion countiesJohn Taylor of Caroline
(1753–1824)
United States Senator (Virginia)
(1792–94) and
(1803) and
(1822–24)
16,342 173 sq mi
(448 km2)
State map highlighting Taylor County
Tucker County 093 Parsons1856Randolph CountyHenry St. George Tucker
(1780–1848)
United States Congressman (Virginia)
(1815–19)
Virginia Supreme Court
(1831–41)
6,568 419 sq mi
(1,085 km2)
State map highlighting Tucker County
Tyler County 095 Middlebourne1814Ohio CountyJohn Tyler, Sr.
(1747–1813)
Governor of Virginia
(1808–11)
8,183 258 sq mi
(668 km2)
State map highlighting Tyler County
Upshur County 097 Buckhannon1851Barbour, Lewis, and Randolph countiesAbel Parker Upshur
(1790–1844)
United States Secretary of the Navy
(1841–43)
United States Secretary of State
(1843–44)
23,712 355 sq mi
(919 km2)
State map highlighting Upshur County
Wayne County 099 Wayne1842Cabell County"Mad" Anthony Wayne
Major General
(1745–96)
American Revolutionary War
(1775–83)
and (1792–96)
United States Congressman Georgia
(1791)
37,998 506 sq mi
(1,311 km2)
State map highlighting Wayne County
Webster County 101 Webster Springs1860Braxton, Nicholas, and Randolph countiesDaniel Webster
(1782–1852)
United States Senator Massachusetts
(1827–41) and
(1845–50)
United States Secretary of State
(1841–53) and
(1850–52)
8,167 556 sq mi
(1,440 km2)
State map highlighting Webster County
Wetzel County 103 New Martinsville1846Tyler CountyLewis Wetzel
(1763–1808)
noted frontiersman
14,025 359 sq mi
(930 km2)
State map highlighting Wetzel County
Wirt County 105 Elizabeth1848Jackson and Wood countiesWilliam Wirt
(1772–1834)
United States Attorney General
(1817–29)
5,091 233 sq mi
(603 km2)
State map highlighting Wirt County
Wood County 107 Parkersburg1798Harrison CountyJames Wood
(1741–1813)
Governor of Virginia
(1796–99)
83,340 367 sq mi
(951 km2)
State map highlighting Wood County
Wyoming County 109 Pineville1850Logan Countyderived from Lenape Native American term for "wide plain" 20,527 501 sq mi
(1,298 km2)
State map highlighting Wyoming County

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lewis, Virgil (1896). History and Government of West Virginia (1st ed.). New York: Werner School Book Company. pp. 264–270. (WV County Founding Dates and Etymology). Other editions available at ASIN B009CI6FRI and Google Books.
  2. Littlefield, Charles (1910). Commonwealth of Virginia, plaintiff vs. ... State of West Virginia, defendant (1st ed.). Charleston, WV: Lovett Printing Company. pp. 9–10. (WV Statehood). Other editions available at ISBN 9781274843111 and Google Books
  3. Rice, Otis & Brown, Stephen (1993). West Virginia, A History (2nd ed.). Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. p. 153. (WV State Boundaries). Other editions available: ISBN 9780813118543
  4. "August 5, 1863: Berkeley Co. Admitted to New State of WV". WVPB. 2020-08-05. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  5. Bastress, Robert (1995). The West Virginia Constitution: A Reference Guide. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. p. 18. ISBN 0313274096.
  6. 1 2 3 Warth, John (1887). The Code of West Virginia. Wheeling and Charleston WV: West Virginia Printing Company, Printers and Binders. pp. 271–273. Other editions available at ISBN 9781231066737 and Google Books.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Find A County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved February 4, 2013. (Find a county)
  8. 1 2 3 4 "West Virginia QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 4, 2013. (2010 Census)
  9. Bastress (1995), p. 20.
  10. 1 2 Brisbin, Richard (1996). West Virginia Politics and Government. University of Nebraska Press. pp. 142–146. ISBN 0803212712.
  11. Rice & Brown (1993), p. 247.
  12. 1 2 3 "West Virginia Counties". West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Archived from the original on September 23, 2001. Retrieved February 4, 2013. (WV County Formation)
  13. Morton, Oren (1910). A History of Pendleton County, West Virginia (1st ed.). Dayton, VA: Ruebush-Elkins Company. p. 3. Other editions available at ISBN 9781165299102.
  14. 1 2 "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA.gov. Archived from the original on March 21, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  15. "West Virginia QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 6, 2023. (2022 Census estimate)
  16. McCulloch, Delia (1908). American Historical Magazine Volume 3. New York NY: Americana Society. pp. 628–629. Available at ISBN 1144825210 and Google Books.

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