Barbour County, West Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barbour County
County
Barbour County Courthouse in Philippi Audra State Park Adaland Philippi Covered Bridge
Flag
Location of Barbour County in West Virginia
West Virginia's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	West Virginia
Founded	March 3, 1843
Named for	Philip P. Barbour
Seat	Philippi
and largest city
Area
• Total	888.0 km2 (342.85 sq mi)
• Land	883.3 km2 (341.06 sq mi)
• Water	4.6 km2 (1.79 sq mi)  0.5%
Area rank	37th
Population  (2020)
• Total	15,465
• Estimate  (2021)	15,468
• Rank	36th
• Density	17.4160/km2 (45.1072/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Area code(s)	304, 681
Congressional district	2nd
Senate district	11th
House of Delegates district	68th
Website	https://barbourcountywv.org/

Map of Barbour County, West Virginia, 1883

Barbour County is a county located in the north-central part of West Virginia, United States. In 2020, about 15,465 people lived here. The main town and county seat is Philippi. Both the county and the town are named after Philip P. Barbour. He was an important politician from Virginia and a judge on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Barbour County was created in 1843, when this area was still part of Virginia. A small piece of the county was later given to Tucker County, West Virginia, in 1871.

A famous event, the Battle of Philippi, happened in Barbour County on June 3, 1861. This battle is often seen as the very first land battle of the American Civil War.

For over 100 years, Barbour County was home to Alderson Broaddus University. This was a college known for starting the first four-year Physician Assistant (PA) program. The university closed in 2023.

History of Barbour County

Early Settlement and County Creation

The first European settlement in what is now Barbour County began around 1780. Richard Talbott and his family settled near the future town of Philippi. At that time, this land was part of Monongalia County, Virginia. There were not many permanent Native American settlements here, so conflicts were rare. However, the Talbott family sometimes had to leave their home for safety.

Over the years, different parts of this region became part of new counties like Harrison, Randolph, and Lewis. Barbour County itself was officially created in 1843. It was named after Philip P. Barbour, a well-known politician and judge. The town of Philippi was also planned and named in the same year, becoming the county seat. By the 1850s, a large covered bridge was built in Philippi. The county's population grew to almost 10,000 people.

The first newspaper in the county was called the Barbour Jeffersonian. It was published from 1857 to 1861.

Barbour County in the Civil War

In April 1861, the state of Virginia decided to leave the United States of America. However, many people in the western counties of Virginia disagreed. Delegates from these counties met in Wheeling to discuss this. Barbour County had voted to support Virginia's decision, and a flag supporting the South was flying over the courthouse.

On June 3, 1861, Philippi became the site of one of the first battles of the American Civil War. This battle is sometimes called the "Philippi Races." This is because the Confederate soldiers quickly ran away from the town. Today, this event is reenacted every June during the "Blue and Gray Reunion."

On that morning, about 3,000 Union soldiers arrived from Grafton. They surprised about 800 Confederate soldiers who were still sleeping. The Union troops had marched all night in the rain. After a few shots, the Southern soldiers ran away quickly, some still in their pajamas!

This Union victory, which had very few casualties, made Union General George B. McClellan famous. It also encouraged more people in Western Virginia to speak out against leaving the Union. These events eventually led to the creation of West Virginia as a separate state.

Recent History

Barbour County's economy and roads grew slowly but steadily in the late 1800s. The first railroad arrived in the county in the 1880s.

In 1990, some companies offered Barbour County a lot of money to accept trash from other states in a landfill. The county's voters said no to this offer.

In 2023, Alderson Broaddus University, a major employer in Barbour County, closed down after 152 years.

Historic Places to Visit

Geography of Barbour County

Barbour County covers about 343 square miles. Most of this area, about 341 square miles, is land. Only a small part, about 1.8 square miles, is water.

The county is located on the Allegheny Plateau, near the Allegheny Mountains. Most of the county's water flows into the Tygart Valley River. This river runs from south to north through the county. The three largest towns – Philippi, Belington, and Junior – are all located along this river. Other smaller rivers and creeks also flow into the Tygart Valley River.

Audra State Park is the only state park in Barbour County. It is located on the Middle Fork River in the southwest. Teter Creek Lake Wildlife Management Area is another natural area in the eastern part of the county. All these streams are part of the larger Monongahela River system.

People of Barbour County (Demographics)

2020 Census Information

According to the 2020 census, Barbour County had 15,465 people living in 5,813 households. Most residents, about 93.5%, were White. About 1.8% were African American, and 0.2% were Asian. Around 0.2% were Native American, and 4% were from two or more races. About 1.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.

The average household size was 3.22 people. The average age in the county was 42.7 years. About 20.5% of the population was under 18 years old. The average income for a household was $42,260. About 20.8% of the population lived below the poverty line.

2010 Census Information

In 2010, there were 16,589 people living in Barbour County. About 96.8% of the population was white. The average household had 2.46 people, and the average family had 2.89 people. The average age was 41.5 years.

The average income for a household was $31,212. About 18.4% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Economy and Jobs

The main jobs in Barbour County are in healthcare, social services, and retail. Education, hotels, and restaurants also provide many jobs. Other important industries include logging, wood product manufacturing, trucking, and construction. The biggest employers used to be Alderson Broaddus University and Broaddus Hospital.

Bituminous coal mining has been important in Barbour County. Natural gas and oil wells also provide some jobs. The county also produces a lot of lumber and wood products. Farmers in Barbour County raise livestock, grow crops for animal food, produce dairy, and grow fruits. They also raise horses and produce eggs.

Communities in Barbour County

View of Philippi, the main town in Barbour County. You can see the historic Philippi Covered Bridge and the buildings of Alderson Broaddus University on the hill.

City

• Philippi (This is the county seat, meaning it's the main town where the county government is located.)

Towns

• Belington
• Junior

Census-designated places

(These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities or towns.)

• Century
• Galloway

Unincorporated communities

(These are smaller communities that are not officially part of a city or town.)

Famous People from Barbour County

• Ted Cassidy (1932–79), an actor who played Lurch on The Addams Family TV show.
• Larry Groce (born 1948), a well-known singer and songwriter.
• Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis (1832–1905), a social activist who helped create Mother's Day with her daughter, Anna Marie Jarvis.
• William Smith O'Brien (1862–1948), born in Audra.
• Ida Lilliard Reed (1865–1951), a writer of hymns.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Barbour (Virginia Occidental) para niños