Ohio County is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
located in the
Northern Panhandle
The Northern Panhandle is the northern of the two panhandles in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is a culturally and geographically distinct region of the state. It is the state's northernmost extension, bounded by Ohio and the Ohio River ...
of the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
. As of the
2020 census, the population was 42,425.
Its
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
is
Wheeling.
The county was formed in 1776 from the
District of West Augusta
The District of West Augusta was a short-lived (1774–76) historical region of Colonial Virginia that encompassed much of what is now northern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania.
History
Before the Colony of Virginia and the Provin ...
,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. It was named for the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
, which forms its western boundary with the
state of Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
.
West Liberty (formerly Black's Cabin) was designated as the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
in 1777, serving to 1797.
Ohio County is part of the
Wheeling, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.9%) is water.
It is the third-smallest county in West Virginia by area. The highest point of elevation in Ohio County is approximately and located about southwest of West Alexander, Pennsylvania.
The county is drained by
Wheeling and other small creeks.
In 1863, West Virginia's counties were divided into
civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States that is subordinate to a county, most often in the northern and midwestern parts of the country. The term town is used in New England, New York, and Wisconsin to ref ...
s, with the intention of encouraging local government. This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872 the townships were converted into
magisterial districts. Ohio County was divided into five districts: Center, Clay, Liberty, Madison, Richland, Ritchie, Triadelphia, Union, Washington, and Webster. Centre, Clay, Madison, Union, and Webster Districts all lay within the city of Wheeling, as did part of Washington District.
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, U.S. Decennial Census, Tables of Minor Civil Divisions in West Virginia, 1870–2010.
By 1880, part of Ritchie District had also been subsumed by Wheeling. In the 1970s, the ten historic magisterial districts were consolidated into five new districts: Liberty Triadelphia; Madison, Union Clay, Washington District; Titchie Webster Center District, and Triadelphia. These were further consolidated in the 1980s to form District 1, District 2, and District 3.
Major highways
*
*
*
*
*
*
Adjacent counties
*
Brooke County (north)
*
Washington County, Pennsylvania
Washington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 209,349. Its county seat is Washington.
Washington County is part of the Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The county i ...
(east)
*
Marshall County (south)
*
Belmont County, Ohio
Belmont County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 66,497. Its county seat is St. Clairsville. The county was created on September 7, 1801, and organized on November 7, 1801.McKelvey, ...
(west)
*
Jefferson County, Ohio
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,249. Its county seat is Steubenville. The county is named for Thomas Jefferson, who was vice president at the time of its creation.
...
(northwest)
Ohio County is one of four counties in the United States to border a state with which it shares the same name (the other three counties are
Nevada County, California
Nevada County () is a county located in the U.S. state of California, in the Sierra Nevada. As of the 2020 census, the population was 102,241. The county seat is Nevada City. Nevada County comprises the Truckee-Grass Valley, CA Micropolitan ...
;
Texas County, Oklahoma
Texas County is a county located in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its county seat is Guymon. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,640. It is the second largest county in Oklahoma, based on land area, and is named for ...
; and
Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Delaware County, colloquially referred to as Delco, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. With a population of 576,830 as of the 2020 census, it is the List of counties in Pennsylvan ...
).
National protected area
*
Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge
The Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge (ORINWR) is a National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in non-contiguous sites consisting of islands along of the Ohio River, primarily (85% of acreage) in the U.S. state of West Virginia. There are also two ...
(part)
Demographics
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 47,427 people, 19,733 households, and 12,155 families residing in the county. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 447 people per square mile (172/km
2). There were 22,166 housing units at an average density of 209 per square mile (81/km
2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.50%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 3.57%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.09%
Native American, 0.78%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.03%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.13% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.91% from two or more races. 0.50% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race. 27.0% were of
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
, 13.7%
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
, 10.4%
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, 8.4%
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
, 8.3%
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
and 6.7%
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
ancestry.
There were 19,733 households, out of which 25.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.30% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.40% were non-families. 33.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.30% under the age of 18, 10.50% from 18 to 24, 25.10% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 18.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 87.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,836, and the median income for a family was $41,261. Males had a median income of $31,132 versus $21,978 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the county was $17,734. About 11.50% of families and 15.80% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 20.10% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 44,443 people, 18,914 households, and 11,181 families residing in the county.
The population density was . There were 21,172 housing units at an average density of .
The racial makeup of the county was 93.2% white, 3.7% black or African American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.8% of the population.
In terms of ancestry, 34.0% were
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
, 19.1% were
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
, 14.4% were
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, 8.5% were
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
, 7.2% were
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
, and 5.7% were
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
.
Of the 18,914 households, 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 40.9% were non-families, and 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age was 43.5 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,669 and the median income for a family was $54,909. Males had a median income of $42,213 versus $28,211 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,950. About 11.9% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Ohio County is governed by a three-member
county commission
A county commission (or a board of county commissioners) is a group of elected officials (county commissioners) collectively charged with administering the county government in some states of the United States; such commissions usually comprise ...
. The three county commissioners are elected from
single-member
A single-member district is an electoral district represented by a single officeholder. It contrasts with a multi-member district, which is represented by multiple officeholders. Single-member districts are also sometimes called single-winner vo ...
magisterial districts and serve six-year terms, staggered so that one seat is up for election every even year. The County Commission annually chooses its own President. The Ohio County Commissioners are Commission President Randy Wharton, Zachary Abraham, and Don Nickerson. The county commission typically appoints a
county administrator In local government in the United States, a county administrator or county manager is a person appointed to be the administrative manager of a county, in a council–manager form of county government.
In some counties, the equivalent position is ...
to oversee the daily executive duties for the Commission. The current county administrator is Randy Russell. In addition to the three members of the county commission, other elected officials include a
county clerk
A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keeping, filing, staffing service ...
, currently Michael E. Kelly, and a
county assessor
Tax assessment, or assessment, is the job of determining the value, and sometimes determining the use, of property, usually to calculate a property tax. This is usually done by an office called the assessor or tax assessor.
Governments need to ...
, currently Tiffany Hoffmann.
Ohio County is part of the West Virginia's
First Judicial Circuit, which also includes nearby
Hancock Hancock may refer to:
Places in the United States
* Hancock, Iowa
* Hancock, Maine
* Hancock, Maryland
* Hancock, Massachusetts
* Hancock, Michigan
* Hancock, Minnesota
* Hancock, Missouri
* Hancock, New Hampshire
** Hancock (CDP), New Hampshir ...
and
Brooke counties. In West Virginia, circuit judges are elected in non-partisan elections to eight-year terms. The current judges of the First Judicial Circuit are Jason A. Cuomo, Michael J. Olejasz, David Sims, and Ronald E. Wilson. The
clerk of the circuit court is elected in a partisan election and serves a six-year term. The current clerk of the First Judicial Circuit in Ohio County is Brenda Miller. Ohio County is part of the First Family Court Circuit of West Virginia, which covers the same three territories as the First Judicial Circuit. In West Virginia, Family Court judges have been elected to eight-year terms since 2008. The current judges of the First Family Circuit are Joyce D. Chernenko and Heather Wood.
Magistrate
The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judici ...
s are elected in non-partisan elections serving four-year terms. Vacancies occurring in unexpired terms can be filled by a respective Circuit Court judge. Unlike Circuit Court and Family Court judges, magistrates are not required to be
attorneys. Ohio County currently has four magistrates: Charles W. Murphy, Patricia L. Murphy, Joseph E. Roxby, and Janine L. Varner.
In West Virginia,
prosecuting attorney
A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the common law adversarial system or the civil law inquisitorial system. The prosecution is the legal party responsible for presenting the case in a criminal tria ...
s in each county are elected in partisan elections to four-year terms, currently Scott R. Smith.
County sheriffs (who also serve ''
ex-officio
An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term ''ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...
'' as
county treasurer) are elected by each county to a four-year term, currently Thomas J. Howard. They are
limited to two terms.
Politics
In the
West Virginia Senate
The West Virginia Senate is the upper house of the West Virginia Legislature.
There are seventeen senatorial districts. Each district has two senators who serve staggered four-year terms. Although the Democratic Party held a supermajority in t ...
, most of Ohio County is part of the first Senate district, along with Hancock, Brooke, and Marshall counties. The district is represented by Owens Brown (D-Wheeling) and Ryan Weld (R-Wellsburg).
In the
West Virginia House of Delegates
The West Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the West Virginia Legislature. Only three states—Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia—refer to their lower house as the House of Delegates.
Organization
Regular sessions begin with ...
, parts of Ohio County are represented by the second, third, and fourth House of Delegates districts. The Second District is represented by Delegate Philip Diserio (D-Follansbee). The Third District is represented by Delegate Shawn Fluharty (D-Wheeling) and Delegate Erikka Storch (R-Wheeling). The Fourth District is represented by Delegate Charlie Reynolds (R) and Delegate Lisa Zukoff (D-Moundsville). All Delegates to the state House serve two-year terms.
In the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
, Ohio County is part of the
West Virginia's 1st congressional district
West Virginia's 1st congressional district is currently located in the northern part of the state. It is the most regularly drawn of the state's three districts. As a result of the state's loss of a seat as a result of the 2020 United States c ...
, which includes nearly all of the northern part of the state. The current Representative is
David McKinley
David Bennett McKinley (born March 28, 1947) is an American businessman and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, McKinley was a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from ...
, a Republican from
Wheeling in Ohio County. West Virginia’s two senators, who represent the entire state, are
Shelley Moore Capito
Shelley Wellons Moore Capito ( ; born November 26, 1953) is an American politician and retired educator serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, United States senator from West Virginia since 2015. A me ...
and
Joe Manchin
Joseph Manchin III (born August 24, 1947) is an American politician and businessman serving as the senior United States senator from West Virginia, a seat he has held since 2010. A member of the Democratic Party, Manchin was the 34th governor of ...
, a Republican from
Charleston and a Democrat from
Fairmont, respectively.
Although powerfully
Unionist during the Civil War, Ohio County politics differs substantially from the two more northerly counties of the Northern Panhandle. The county was a competitive swing county for most of the period between Reconstruction and the end of the twentieth century, voting for the popular vote winner in every election except 1916, 1968 and 1976. Since 2000, like all of West Virginia, its conservative white voters have trended Republican due to a combination of declining unionization and differences with the Democratic Party’s liberal views on social issues. The trend has been less extreme than in most counties of the state.
Education
Colleges and universities
*
West Liberty University
West Liberty University (WLU) is a public university in West Liberty, West Virginia. It is West Virginia's oldest institution of higher education. It offers more than 70 undergraduate majors plus graduate programs, including a master's degree ...
*
Wheeling Jesuit University
Wheeling University (WU, formerly Wheeling Jesuit University) is a private Roman Catholic university in Wheeling, West Virginia. It was founded as Wheeling College in 1954 by the Society of Jesus (also known as the Jesuits) and was a Jesuit inst ...
*
West Virginia Northern Community College
West Virginia Northern Community College (WVNCC) is a public community college with its main campus in downtown Wheeling, West Virginia. Established in 1972, WVNCC serves all six counties in West Virginia's Northern Panhandle. It is part of the W ...
*West Virginia Business College
Public schools
All public schools within Ohio County operate under the jurisdiction of Ohio County Schools with the consolidated high school housing grades 9–12, middle schools housing grades 6–8, and elementary schools housing grades K-5.
Ohio County Schools has a five-member elected Board of Educatio
Board of Education (Molly J. Aderholt, Christine N. Carder, David Croft, Sarah C. Koegler, President Zachary T. Abraham, Superintendent Dr. Kimmberly Miller, and an Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones. In addition, the Board of Education has an Attendance Director (Wm. Jeffrey Laird).
*
Wheeling Park High School
Wheeling Park High School is a public high school in Wheeling, West Virginia, United States. It is the only public high school in the Ohio County School District. Athletic teams compete as the Wheeling Park Patriots in the WVSSAC Class AAA, as we ...
*
Bridge Street Middle School
*Triadelphia Middle School
*
Warwood Middle School
*
Wheeling Middle School
*Bethlehem Elementary School
*Elm Grove Elementary School
*Madison Elementary School
*Middle Creek Elementary School
*Ritchie Elementary School
*Steenrod Elementary School
*Warwood Grade School
*Woodsdale Elementary School
Private and parochial schools
The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston operates several K-8 schools and one high school in Ohio County.
*
Wheeling Central Catholic High School
Central Catholic High School is a parochial, Roman Catholic high school in Wheeling, West Virginia. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston.
Central Catholic High School has been educating young men and women since 1865 ...
*Corpus Christi Parish School
*Our Lady of Peace School (Located in Marshall County but also serves Ohio County students)
*St. Michael Parish School
*St. Vincent de Paul Parish School
*Wheeling Catholic Elementary (Closed)
Additionally, there are two private schools in Ohio County.
*
Linsly School
The Linsly School, formerly known as the Linsly Military Institute, is a boarding and day school located in Wheeling, West Virginia. It was founded in 1814 by Noah Linsly and chartered by the State of Virginia in the same year. The school is the ...
*
Wheeling Country Day School Wheeling can refer to:
Places in the United States of America
*Wheeling, Illinois
*Wheeling, Carroll County, Indiana
*Wheeling, Delaware County, Indiana
*Wheeling, Gibson County, Indiana
*Wheeling, a populated place in Winn Parish, Louisiana where ...
Communities
City
*
Wheeling (county seat; partly in
Marshall County)
*Wheeling Neighborhoods: Clator, Dimmydale, Downtown, East Wheeling, Edgwood (annexed 1920), Elm Grove (annexed 1920), Fulton (annexed 1920), Grandview, Greggsville, Leatherwood (annexed 1920), Manchester, Morningside, North Park, North Wheeling, Overbrook, Patterson (annexed 1920), Pleasanton (annexed 1920), Pleasant Valley (annexed 1920), Richietown (annexed 1871), Springdale, South Wheeling (annexed 1871), Warwood (annexed 1920), Wheeling Island, Woodsdale (formerly Woodlawn, annexed 1920)
Towns
*
Triadelphia
*
West Liberty
Villages
*
Bethlehem
Bethlehem (; ar, بيت لحم ; he, בֵּית לֶחֶם '' '') is a city in the central West Bank, Palestine, about south of Jerusalem. Its population is approximately 25,000,Amara, 1999p. 18.Brynen, 2000p. 202. and it is the capital o ...
*
Clearview
*
Valley Grove
Magisterial districts
*District 1
*District 2
*District 3
Unincorporated communities
*
Betty Zane
*
Clinton
*
Eden
*
Elm Grove
*
Greggsville
*
Mount Echo
*
Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...
*
Point Mills
*
Potomac
*
Roneys Point
*
Shannon
*
Twilight
*
Valley Camp
*
Warwood
*
Whitfield
The Communities of Warwood, Woodsdale, Elm Grove, Betty Zane Addition, Greggsville, North Park, Overbrook, Edgwood and Linwood are all incorporated into the city of Wheeling
Notable residents
*
George W. Atkinson
George Wesley Atkinson (June 29, 1845 – April 4, 1925), a cavalryman, lawyer, politician, judge and scholar, became the 10th Governor of West Virginia after running as the candidate of the Republican Party. He also served in the West Virgini ...
(R) –
Governor of West Virginia
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
(1897–1901);
*
Nathan B. Scott
Nathan Bay Scott (December 18, 1842January 2, 1924) was a United States senator from West Virginia.
Biography
Born near Quaker City, Ohio, he attended the common schools and engaged in mining near Colorado Springs, Colorado from 1859 to 1862. ...
(R) –
U.S. Senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
(1899–1911)
*
Walter L. Fisher (R) –
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States secretary of the interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior. The secretary and the Department of the Interior are responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land along with natural ...
(1911–1913)
Miscellaneous information
Dog Races and Gaming
In 2007, the
West Virginia Legislature
The West Virginia Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of West Virginia. A bicameral legislative body, the legislature is split between the upper Senate and the lower House of Delegates. It was established under Article VI o ...
adopte
HB2718which created Chapter 29-22 C of the West Virginia Code and permits county residents where racetracks are located to vote on expansion to table games. Ohio County was the first county in West Virginia to take action concerning the matter when the Ohio County Commission initiated a special election date of June 9 for the referendum. The ballot initiative successfully passed in Ohio County with 66% of the vote. The measure permits
Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center
Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack (formerly Wheeling Downs) is a greyhound racino located on Wheeling Island in the middle of the Ohio River, which is a part of the city of Wheeling, West Virginia. It is located just off the Wheeling Island ...
to operate table games such as blackjack and poker. On June 9,
Jefferson County voters rejected their ballot measure. On June 30,
Hancock County voters approved their ballot measure.
Kanawha County
Kanawha County ( ) is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 180,745, making it West Virginia's most populous county. The county seat is Charlest ...
has scheduled a special election for August 11. While the West Virginia Family Foundation vowed to challenge the constitutionality of HB 2718, it announced on August 7 that it would not file any appeal on the matter. According to newspaper accounts, the West Virginia Lottery Commission has set November 1, 2007 as the latest date at which table games will begin preliminary operation at Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center.
Metro government
In 2006, the
West Virginia Legislature
The West Virginia Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of West Virginia. A bicameral legislative body, the legislature is split between the upper Senate and the lower House of Delegates. It was established under Article VI o ...
adopted a new section to the West Virginia code – Chapter 7A – which provided for the consolidation of cities, cities with counties, or counties with counties. Interest has been expressed by some Ohio County residents and officials and has become the main political endeavour of a local council of churches called "Hopeful City". As of March 2007, no official action has been taken in Ohio County on this matter. Other municipalities in West Virginia are considering consolidation including
Beckley-
Raleigh County and
Fairmont-
Marion County. The most significant proposals under this legislation include a consolidation of
Wirt County
Wirt County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,194, making it the least populous county in West Virginia. Its county seat is Elizabeth. The county was created in 1848 by the Virginia Gene ...
with
Wood County and a population consolidation for
Kanawha-
Putnam-
Cabell Cabell is both a surname and a given name. The Cabell family has "been prominent in Virginia since the American Revolution." Notable people with the name include:
Surname:
* Charles P. Cabell (1903–1971), United States Air Force, CIA
* Earle Cab ...
counties.
Other Topics
*The Ohio County Fair is held annually in October at Site 1 in
Oglebay Park
Oglebay Park is a self-supporting public municipal park, the only one of its kind, located on the outskirts of Wheeling, West Virginia, on . In 1926, Earl W. Oglebay (of Oglebay, Norton, and Company) deeded his estate, Waddington Farms, to the ...
.
*When Ohio County was formed in 1776, its area was much larger totaling and included portions of what is now
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
and
Greene
Greene may refer to:
Places United States
*Greene, Indiana, an unincorporated community
*Greene, Iowa, a city
*Greene, Maine, a town
** Greene (CDP), Maine, in the town of Greene
*Greene (town), New York
** Greene (village), New York, in the town ...
Counties in
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. The formation of the
Mason–Dixon line
The Mason–Dixon line, also called the Mason and Dixon line or Mason's and Dixon's line, is a demarcation line separating four U.S. states, forming part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia (part of Virginia ...
and resolution of border disputes between Pennsylvania and
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
began the first in a long series of reductions in the county's size.
History of Wheeling City & Ohio County, West Virginia – Book
Lindapages.com. Retrieved on December 24, 2010.
See also
* Bear Rock Lakes Wildlife Management Area
* Castleman Run Lake Wildlife Management Area
Castleman Run Lake Wildlife Management Area is located on near in Brooke and Ohio counties near Bethany, West Virginia. The moderate slopes are covered with mixed hardwoods, brushy vegetation, and open fields. The WMA is located about south of ...
*
Footnotes
References
External links
Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley, Inc. Website
Ohio County Schools Website
Ohio County Sheriff's Department Website
Ohio County Public Library Website
Ohio County Economic Development Home Page
{{Coord, 40.10, -80.62, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-WV_source:UScensus1990
West Virginia counties on the Ohio River