Harrison County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in 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 sove ...

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 ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,921. 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 ...

is Clarksburg. Harrison County is part of the Clarksburg, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Indigenous peoples lived in the area that would become Harrison County for thousands of years. The

Oak Mounds The Oak Mounds is a large prehistoric earthwork mound, and a smaller mound to the west. They are located outside Clarksburg, in Harrison County, West Virginia. Mounds These mounds have never been totally excavated but they were probably built b ...

outside Clarksburg were built by the

Hopewell culture The Hopewell tradition, also called the Hopewell culture and Hopewellian exchange, describes a network of precontact Native American cultures that flourished in settlements along rivers in the northeastern and midwestern Eastern Woodlands from ...

mound builders A number of pre-Columbian cultures are collectively termed "Mound Builders". The term does not refer to a specific people or archaeological culture, but refers to the characteristic mound earthworks erected for an extended period of more than 5 ...

during the first millennium CE.

18th century

White trappers visited the area that is now Harrison County as early as the 1760s. Some traded with the Native Americans of the area. The Virginia Colony claimed the area as part of its vast

Augusta County Augusta County is a county in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The second-largest county of Virginia by total area, it completely surrounds the independent cities of Staunton and Waynesboro. Its cou ...

. The first permanent settler in the area was hunter and trapper John Simpson, who erected a cabin at the mouth of Elk Creek on the

West Fork River The West Fork River is a principal tributary of the Monongahela River, long, in north-central West Virginia, United States. Via the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 881 sq ...

in 1763 or '64. Simpson's name remains on " Simpson's Creek" (its mouth is about 9 miles downstream from present Clarksburg). Settler Daniel Davisson (1748-1819), from New Jersey, claimed the land upon which present-day Clarksburg, Harrison County, was formed in 1773; the area was re-designated as part of

Monongalia County, Virginia Monongalia County, known locally as Mon County, is located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 105,822, making it West Virginia's third-most populous county. Its county seat is at Morgantown. The coun ...

three years later. Simpson's story did not end well. According to a 19th-century local historian, he ...

... continued to hunt and trap for a year without encountering any other human being. In 1765, he went to the South Branch to dispose of a stock of skins and furs, and returning to his camp, remained until permanent settlements were made in the vicinity. ... Simpson's cabin was located about one mile from Clarksburg, on the west side of the West Fork River ... Simpson became indebted to a man named Cottrial to the amount of "one quart of salt" (a precious article at the time), which he agreed to pay, either in money or salt, upon his return from
Winchester Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...
, whither he was going to dispose of a stock of skins and furs. Upon his return, a dispute arose between them, regarding the payment, and Cottrial, in the heat of passion, hastened from the house, and grasping Daniel Davisson's gun, which stood leaning against the cabin, took aim through the space between the logs, and attempted to shoot Simpson. The latter, however, was too quick for him, and springing outside, grasped the gun from Cottrial's hands and killed him. This was the first tragedy of this nature in the vicinity.

Harrison County was organized in 1784, with territory partitioned from Monongalia County. It was named for

Benjamin Harrison V Benjamin Harrison V (April 5, 1726April 24, 1791) was an American planter, merchant, and politician who served as a legislator in colonial Virginia, following his namesakes’ tradition of public service. He was a signer of the Continental As ...

, who had recently retired as the Governor of Virginia. (He was the father of

William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773April 4, 1841) was an American military officer and politician who served as the ninth president of the United States. Harrison died just 31 days after his inauguration in 1841, and had the shortest pres ...

, 9th

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...

and great-grandfather of

Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833March 13, 1901) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 23rd president of the United States from 1889 to 1893. He was a member of the Harrison family of Virginia–a grandson of the ninth pr ...

, 23rd president.) Over the next 72 years, all of eight present-day West Virginia counties and parts of ten others were formed from this original Harrison County. The first meeting of the Harrison County court was held on July 20, 1784, at the home of George Jackson. The group designated the county seat as Clarksburg. The town, named for explorer General

George Rogers Clark George Rogers Clark (November 19, 1752 – February 13, 1818) was an American Surveying, surveyor, soldier, and militia officer from Virginia who became the highest-ranking American patriot military officer on the northwestern frontier duri ...

(1752–1818), was chartered by the

Virginia General Assembly The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the oldest continuous law-making body in the Western Hemisphere, the first elected legislative assembly in the New World, and was established on July 30, 16 ...

in October 1785, and it was incorporated in 1795.

19th century

Clarksburg's first newspaper, ''The By-Stander'', began publication in 1810. Construction of the

Northwestern Turnpike The Northwestern Turnpike is a historic road in West Virginia ( Virginia at the time the road was created), important for being historically one of the major roads crossing the Appalachians, financed by the Virginia Board of Public Works in the 1 ...

connecting

Winchester Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...

and Parkersburg, reached the town in 1836, stimulating development by connecting it to other markets. Clarksburg's economic development was also helped by the arrival of the

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the first common carrier railroad and the oldest railroad in the United States, with its first section opening in 1830. Merchants from Baltimore, which had benefited to some extent from the construction of ...

in 1856. The railroad was instrumental in the development of the local coal mining industry during the late 1800s and early 1900s. 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. Harrison County was divided into ten districts: Clark, Clay, Coal, Eagle, Elk, Grant, Sardis, Simpson, Tenmile, and Union. These districts remained stable for a century, but in the 1970s they were consolidated to form six new districts: North Clarksburg, South Clarksburg, Suburban, Northern, Southeast, and Southwest. In the 1980s, North and South Clarksburg Districts became North Urban and South Urban. In the 1990s, the Southeast and Suburban Districts were discontinued, and replaced by the Eastern and Southern Districts.

Geography

The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, largely wooded, etched by drainages and creeks.''Harrison County WV'' Google Maps (accessed April 15, 2019)
/ref> The terrain slopes to the

valley from both east and west borders, and also generally slopes to the north. Its highest point is on its south corner, at 1,736' (529m) ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.1%) is water. The county is drained by the north-flowing

and its tributaries, including Tenmile Creek, Simpson Creek, and Elk Creek.

Major highways

Interstate 79 Interstate 79 (I-79) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from I-77 in Charleston, West Virginia, north to Pennsylvania Route 5 (PA 5) and PA 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is a primary thoroughfar ...

* U.S. Route 19 * U.S. Route 50 *

West Virginia Route 20 West Virginia Route 20 is a major north–south state highway in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 52 in Bluewell, a small unincorporated suburb of Bluefield. The northern terminus is a ...

West Virginia Route 23 West Virginia Route 23 is a north–south state highway in the northern portion of the U.S. state of West Virginia. The northern terminus of the route is at West Virginia Route 18 in Tyler, Tyler County. The southern terminus is at old U ...

* West Virginia Route 57 * West Virginia Route 58 *

West Virginia Route 76 West Virginia Route 76 is an east–west state highway in northern West Virginia. The western terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 50 in the shadow of Bridgeport's Benedum Airport. The eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 119 and U.S. Route ...

* West Virginia Route 98 * West Virginia Route 131 *

West Virginia Route 270 West Virginia Route 270 is an east–west state highway located entirely within Harrison County, West Virginia. The western terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 19 just outside the western edge of West Milford. The eastern terminus is a ...

West Virginia Route 279 West Virginia Route 279 is an east-west highway within the state of West Virginia. Its western terminus is at County Route 707, which leads to West Virginia Route 131, WV 131. Its eastern terminus is an interchange with U.S. Route 50 in West Virg ...

Airports

* North Central West Virginia Airport - northeast of

Bridgeport Bridgeport is the most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the fifth-most populous in New England. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonn ...

* Wade F. Maley Field - northeast of Shinnston

Adjacent counties

* Marion County - north * Taylor County - east * Barbour County - southeast * Upshur County - south * Lewis County - southwest * Doddridge County - west * Wetzel County - northwest

Protected areas

* Watters Smith State Park

Lakes

* Deegan Lake * Lake Floyd * Maple Lake * Mine 95 Water Supply Reservoir * Oral Lake * Salem Auxiliary Lake

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 inc ...

of 2000, there were 68,652 people, 27,867 households, and 19,088 families 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 RosenberPopu ...

was 165/sqmi (63.7/km²). There were 31,112 housing units at an average density of 74.8/sqmi (28.9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.55%

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 ...

, 1.61%

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 ha ...

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 ...

, 0.15% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.21% 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 0.86% from two or more races. 0.96% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. There were 27,867 households, out of which 29.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.30% were living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.94. The county population contained 23.10% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 16.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $30,562, and the median income for a family was $36,870. Males had a median income of $30,721 versus $22,110 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 $16,810. About 13.60% of families and 17.20% 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 ...

, including 24.10% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 69,099 people, 28,533 households, and 18,992 families in the county. The population density was 166/sqmi (64.1/km²). There were 31,431 housing units at an average density of 75.6/sqmi (29.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.0% white, 1.6% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 19.8% 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 ...

, 19.0% 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 ...

, 18.3% 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 ...

, 13.2% 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 ...

, and 10.4% 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 ...

. Of the 28,533 households, 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.4% were non-families, and 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age was 41.8 years. The median income for a household in the county was $39,191 and the median income for a family was $46,882. Males had a median income of $42,615 versus $28,867 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,010. About 15.0% of families and 18.9% of the population were below the

, including 29.0% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

* Clarksburg (county seat) * Salem * Shinnston * Stonewood

Towns

* Anmoore * Lost Creek * Lumberport * Nutter Fort * West Milford

Magisterial Districts

*Eastern *Northern *North Urban *Southern *South Urban *Southwest

Census-designated places

* Despard * East View *

Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterprise ...

* Gypsy * Hepzibah * Reynoldsville *

Spelter Spelter is a zinc–lead alloy that ages to resemble bronze, but is softer and has a lower melting point. The name can also refer to a copper–zinc alloy (a brass) used for brazing, or to pure zinc. Etymology In his etymology of the English ...

Wallace Wallace may refer to: People * Clan Wallace in Scotland * Wallace (given name) * Wallace (surname) * Wallace (footballer, born 1986), full name Wallace Fernando Pereira, Brazilian football left-back * Wallace (footballer, born 1987), full name ...

* Wolf Summit

Charles Pointe Master-Planned Community

Harrison County is the site of a

master-planned community A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...

, Charles Pointe, which is currently under construction in the city of

and comprises that will combine commercial, residential, and recreational areas into one master-planned community. Adjacent to Charles Pointe, the United Hospital Center, a $278 million state-of-the-art medical facility. Across from the United Hospital Center site, White Oaks, a planned business community is also under construction, and will support the hospital and the FBI CJIS complex, which is also located near the White Oaks site. This area of

is considered part of a "High Tech Corridor." Wikipedia.org: I-79

Politics

During the 20th century Harrison County voters tended Democratic. However, since 2000 the county has selected the Republican Party candidate in every national election (as of 2020).

Historical landmarks

Fletcher Covered Bridge The Fletcher Covered Bridge is a Multiple king post, King Post covered bridge located near Marshville, West Virginia, Marshville in Harrison County, West Virginia. The bridge crosses Tenmile Creek (West Fork River), Tenmile Creek is West Virgin ...

* Kelly Miller High School *

Simpson Creek Covered Bridge Simpson Creek Covered Bridge is located in Bridgeport, West Virginia, crossing Simpson Creek off Meadowbrook Road near the entrance to the Meadowbrook Mall. The , multiple-kingpost truss bridge was built in 1881 by Asa Hugill. The current lo ...

* The Waldomore

Notable people

* John S. Carlile, Unionist Virginia Senator, 1861 to 1865. * John W. Davis, Democratic Party candidate for President in 1924 * Guy Goff, Republican Party

United States 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 po ...

* Joseph Johnson, 32nd Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, 1852 to 1856. *

Harry Powers Harry F. Powers (born Harm Drenth; November 17, 1893 – March 18, 1932) was a Dutch-born American serial killer who was hanged in Moundsville, West Virginia. Powers lured his victims through " lonely hearts" advertisements, claiming he ...

, lonely hearts serial killer hanged in 1932. Basis for The Night of the Hunter by Davis Grubb. *

Jennings Randolph Jennings Randolph (March 8, 1902May 8, 1998) was an American politician from West Virginia. A Democrat, he was most notable for his service in the United States House of Representatives from 1933 to 1947 and the United States Senate from 1958 to ...

, U.S. Representative from 1933 to 1947 and U.S. Senator from 1958 to 1985. *

Cyrus Vance Cyrus Roberts Vance Sr. (March 27, 1917January 12, 2002) was an American lawyer and United States Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1980. Prior to serving in that position, he was the United States Deputy Secretary o ...

, U.S. Secretary of State under President Carter, Deputy Secretary of Defense under President Johnson, and Secretary of the Army under President Kennedy.

Footnotes

References

External links

Harrison County Chamber of Commerce

Harrison County Commission

Harrison County Development Authority

Harrison County Genealogical Society

Harrison County Schools

WVGenWeb Harrison County
{{authority control 1784 establishments in Virginia Northwestern Turnpike Clarksburg micropolitan area Populated places established in 1784 Counties of Appalachia