Cabell County, West Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cabell County
U.S. county
Cabell County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of West Virginia
West Virginia's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	West Virginia
Founded	January 2, 1809
Named for	William H. Cabell
Seat	Huntington
Largest city	Huntington
Area
• Total	288 sq mi (750 km2)
• Land	281 sq mi (730 km2)
• Water	7.0 sq mi (18 km2)  2.4%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	94,350
• Estimate  (2021)	93,418
• Density	327.6/sq mi (126.49/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st

Cabell County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. In 2020, about 94,350 people lived there. This makes it West Virginia's fourth most-populated county. Its main town, or county seat, is Huntington. The county was started in 1809. It was named after William H. Cabell, who was the Governor of Virginia from 1805 to 1808. Cabell County is part of the larger Huntington–Ashland, WV–KY–OH Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History of Cabell County

Cabell County was officially created on January 2, 1809. It was formed from a part of Kanawha County. The county got its name from William H. Cabell, who served as the Governor of Virginia.

First People in Cabell County

Long ago, the first people to live in the Cabell County area were groups known as the Mound Builders. Specifically, the Adena people lived here. Later, many Hurons lived in the area. They were eventually driven out by the Iroquois Confederacy. By the 1700s, the Cabell County area was mostly used as hunting grounds by these native groups.

European Settlers Arrive

The first European to visit what is now Cabell County was likely Robert Cavelier de La Salle. He sailed down the Ohio River in 1669. The first English explorers were probably Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam. They explored the area in September 1671. They found markings on trees, which made them think other Englishmen had been there before.

In 1772, a large piece of land called the Savage Grant was given to John Savage and 60 other people. This was for their service during the French and Indian War. William Buffington bought one part of this land. He left it to his two sons, Thomas and William Buffington. Thomas and his brother Jonathan came to Cabell County in 1796. They met Thomas Hannon there. Hannon is thought to be the very first settler in Cabell County.

The 1800s and Growth

Cabell County's location along the Ohio River made it a natural stop for travelers heading west. Places like Guyandotte and Holderby's Landing (which is now Huntington) became important ferry points. The James River and Kanawha Turnpike, a major road, was extended to Barboursville in 1814.

In 1837, Marshall Academy was started at Holderby's Landing. The school was named after Chief Justice John Marshall. He was a friend of a local lawyer named John Laidley. The academy became official in 1838. In 1867, Marshall Academy became the State Normal School of Marshall College. Its goal was to train teachers. Marshall College became a university in 1961.

Cabell County During the Civil War

Before the American Civil War began, people in Cabell County had different ideas about leaving the United States. When Eli Thayer started his Ceredo Experiment, it caused a lot of discussion in the county. After Abraham Lincoln was elected President, a local group called the Border Rangers was formed. It was led by Albert Gallatin Jenkins.

The first battle of the Civil War in Cabell County was the Battle of Barbourville in 1861. Later that same year, the town of Guyandotte was attacked and burned by the Union Army. The county's economy faced challenges after Guyandotte was burned. However, being close to the Ohio River and the arrival of the railroad helped the county grow. In 1871, a railroad leader named Collis P. Huntington planned and founded the city of Huntington. This new city was near Holderby's Landing and became the western end of the C&O Railroad.

The 1900s and Modern Times

Many new businesses came to Cabell County because of Huntington's growth. This brought a lot of economic success. However, the Ohio River Flood of 1937 caused problems. Huntington also saw important firsts for the state. West Virginia's first radio station started there in 1923. The state's first television station began in 1949. The building of Interstate 64 in the 1960s also helped the local economy grow.

Geography of Cabell County

Cabell County covers about 288 square miles. Most of this is land, about 281 square miles. The rest, about 7.0 square miles, is water.

In the 1860s, West Virginia counties were divided into areas called townships. This was to help with local government. But it didn't work well in rural areas. So, in 1872, these townships became "magisterial districts." Cabell County was divided into five districts: Barboursville, Grant, Guyandotte, McComas, and Union. Later, two more districts, Gideon and Kyle, were added. Between 1980 and 1990, the county was redivided into five new districts: District 1, District 2, District 3, District 4, and District 5. The old district names are still used for things like taxes.

Major Roads

• Interstate 64
• U.S. Route 52
• U.S. Route 60
• West Virginia Route 2
• West Virginia Route 10
• West Virginia Route 152
• West Virginia Route 527

Neighboring Counties

• Gallia County, Ohio (north)
• Mason County (northeast)
• Putnam County (east)
• Lincoln County (southeast)
• Wayne County (southwest)
• Lawrence County, Ohio (northwest)

People of Cabell County

The Cabell County Court House in Huntington, the building that houses most of the county's administrative offices.

2010 Census Information

In 2010, there were 96,319 people living in Cabell County. There were 41,223 households and 24,308 families. The population density was about 342.8 people per square mile.

Most people in the county (91.6%) were white. About 5.0% were black or African American, and 1.0% were Asian. People of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population. Many people had ancestors from Ireland (17.2%), England (16.5%), or Germany (15.9%).

About 26.1% of households had children under 18 living with them. About 42.3% were married couples. The average household had 2.24 people. The average family had 2.85 people. The average age of people in the county was 38.7 years old.

Education in Cabell County

Colleges and Universities

Cabell County has two colleges and one university. All three are located in Huntington, West Virginia.

Public Schools

All public schools in Cabell County are managed by Cabell County Public Schools. This is the only school district in the county.

High Schools

Middle Schools

Elementary Schools

Private Schools

Cabell County has several private schools for students from kindergarten to 12th grade. They are all located in Huntington. Some of them are:

Communities in Cabell County

City

• Huntington (county seat; partly in Wayne County)

Town

• Milton

Village

• Barboursville

Magisterial Districts

Census-Designated Places

Unincorporated Communities

Famous People from Cabell County

• James F. Adams, a soldier in the American Civil War who received the Medal of Honor.
• George Baumgardner, MLB player for the St. Louis Browns.
• Wayne Chapman, a football coach.
• Brad Dourif, an actor.
• Catherine Shipe East, a government worker and important feminist.
• Diamond Teeth Mary, a blues singer.
• Hal Greer, an NBA player.
• Thomas Hannan, a soldier from the Revolutionary War and an early settler of Cabell County.
• Hawkshaw Hawkins, a bluegrass singer.
• Albert G. Jenkins, a politician and Confederate general.
• Alberta Gallatin Jenkins, an actress, daughter of Albert G. Jenkins.
• Evan Jenkins: a State Senator and US Congressman from West Virginia.
• Ezra Midkiff, MLB player for the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Yankees.
• Katie Lee, a television personality and chef.
• O.J. Mayo, an NBA player.
• Breece D’J Pancake, a short story writer.
• Brett Rowe, a stock car driver.
• Sampson Sanders, known for freeing his 51 enslaved people when he died in 1849.
• Eli C. D. Shortridge, the third Governor of North Dakota (1893-1895); born in Cabell County.
• Jason Starkey, NFL player for the Arizona Cardinals.
• Ruth Sullivan, an advocate for people with autism.
• Milton Supman, a comedian known as Soupy Sales (attended Huntington High School).
• Phil Swann, a singer.
• Jim Thornton, an announcer on Wheel of Fortune.
• Bill Walker, an NBA player.
• Kayla Williams, a gymnast and gold medalist (attended Huntington High).
• Carter G. Woodson, who started Black History Month (moved to attend Douglass High School).
• Steve Yeager, MLB player for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Seattle Mariners, co-MVP of the 1981 World Series.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Cabell para niños