Harrison County, West Virginia facts for kids

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Harrison County

U.S. county

Harrison County Courthouse

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of West Virginia

West Virginia's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

West Virginia

Founded

May 3, 1784

Largest city

Clarksburg

Area

• Total

417 sq mi (1,080 km²)

• Land

416 sq mi (1,080 km²)

• Water

0.5 sq mi (1 km²) 0.1%%

Population

(2020)

• Estimate

(2021)

65,158

Time zone

UTC−5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−4 (EDT)

Congressional district

1st

Harrison County is a special area in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It's like a big neighborhood with its own local government. In 2020, about 65,921 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is Clarksburg. Harrison County is part of the larger Clarksburg area.

Exploring Harrison County's Past

Long ago, thousands of years before European settlers arrived, Native American people lived in the area that is now Harrison County. The Hopewell culture, known for building large earth mounds, created the Oak Mounds near Clarksburg around 1,000 to 2,000 years ago. These mounds are important historical sites.

Early Settlers and County Beginnings

White trappers first visited this area in the 1760s. They sometimes traded with the Native Americans. The land was then part of the Virginia Colony.

The first person to settle permanently was John Simpson. He built a cabin in 1763 or 1764 near the West Fork River. A creek in the area, "Simpson's Creek", is named after him. Another settler, Daniel Davisson, claimed the land where Clarksburg is today in 1773.

Harrison County was officially created in 1784. It was formed from a larger area called Monongalia County. The county was named after Benjamin Harrison V, who was a governor of Virginia. He was also the father of William Henry Harrison, who became the 9th President of the United States.

The first meeting for Harrison County's court was held on July 20, 1784. They chose Clarksburg as the county seat. The town was named after a famous explorer, General George Rogers Clark. Clarksburg became an official town in 1785 and was incorporated in 1795.

Growth in the 1800s

Statue of Civil War Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, in front of the Harrison County Courthouse

Clarksburg got its first newspaper, The By-Stander, in 1810. In 1836, the Northwestern Turnpike road reached the town. This road connected Clarksburg to other important places like Winchester and Parkersburg, which helped the town grow.

The arrival of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1856 was also a big deal. The railroad helped the local coal mining industry develop a lot in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

In 1863, after West Virginia became a state, counties were divided into smaller areas called townships. This was meant to help local government. However, it didn't work well in rural areas. So, in 1872, these townships became "magisterial districts." Harrison County first had ten districts. Over time, these districts changed. By the 1990s, they were organized into six main districts: Eastern, Northern, North Urban, Southern, South Urban, and Southwest.

Geography and Nature

Harrison County has rolling hills, many covered with trees. Rivers and creeks flow through the land. The West Fork River flows north through the county, with smaller creeks like Tenmile Creek, Simpson Creek, and Elk Creek joining it.

The county covers about 417 square miles. Most of this is land, with a small amount of water. The highest point in the county is about 1,736 feet above sea level.

Main Roads and Travel

Interstate 79
U.S. Route 19
U.S. Route 50
West Virginia Route 20
West Virginia Route 23
West Virginia Route 57
West Virginia Route 58
West Virginia Route 76
West Virginia Route 98
West Virginia Route 131
West Virginia Route 270
West Virginia Route 279

Airports in Harrison County

Left, the West Virginia Black Heritage Festival in Clarksburg, WV. Center, the Scottish Festival & Celtic Gathering in Bridgeport, WV. Right, the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival in Clarksburg.

North Central West Virginia Airport is located northeast of Bridgeport.
Wade F. Maley Field is northeast of Shinnston.

Neighboring Counties

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

Parks and Lakes

Harrison County is home to Watters Smith State Park, a great place to explore nature. There are also several lakes, including Deegan Lake, Lake Floyd, Maple Lake, Mine 95 Water Supply Reservoir, Oral Lake, and Salem Auxiliary Lake.

People and Population

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	2,080	—
1800	4,848	133.1%
1810	9,958	105.4%
1820	10,932	9.8%
1830	14,722	34.7%
1840	17,669	20.0%
1850	11,728	−33.6%
1860	13,790	17.6%
1870	16,714	21.2%
1880	20,181	20.7%
1890	21,919	8.6%
1900	27,690	26.3%
1910	48,381	74.7%
1920	74,793	54.6%
1930	78,567	5.0%
1940	82,911	5.5%
1950	85,296	2.9%
1960	77,856	−8.7%
1970	73,028	−6.2%
1980	77,710	6.4%
1990	69,371	−10.7%
2000	68,652	−1.0%
2010	69,099	0.7%
2020	65,921	−4.6%
2021 (est.)	65,158	−5.7%
US Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

The population of Harrison County has changed a lot over the years. In 1790, there were just over 2,000 people. By 1950, the population grew to over 85,000. In 2020, the population was 65,921.

Who Lives in Harrison County?

In 2020, most people in Harrison County were White (91.5%). There were also African American (1.7%), Asian (0.7%), and Native American (0.2%) residents. About 5.2% of people identified with two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.1% of the population.

The average age in the county was 42.4 years. The average income for a household was about $51,553.

Towns and Communities

Harrison County Courthouse

Harrison County has several cities and towns where people live and work.

Cities in Harrison County

Towns in Harrison County

Magisterial Districts

These are the local government areas within the county:

Eastern
Northern
North Urban
Southern
South Urban
Southwest

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities or towns:

Charles Pointe: A Growing Community

Harrison County is home to Charles Pointe, a large planned community being built in Bridgeport. It will have homes, shops, and places for fun, covering about 1,700 acres. Nearby is the United Hospital Center, a modern medical facility. There's also White Oaks, a business community that supports the hospital and the FBI's CJIS complex. This area along Interstate 79 is sometimes called a "High Tech Corridor" because of the many technology-related businesses.

Important Historical Places

Views of Main Street in Clarksburg (left) and the Benedum Civic Center in Bridgeport (right). Clarksburg and Bridgeport are the largest cities in Harrison County.

Harrison County has several places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These sites are important because they tell us about the past.

Fletcher Covered Bridge
Kelly Miller High School
Oak Mounds
Simpson Creek Covered Bridge
The Waldomore

Famous People from Harrison County

Many notable people have come from Harrison County:

John S. Carlile: A senator from Virginia during the Civil War.
John W. Davis: A candidate for President of the United States in 1924.
Guy Goff: A United States Senator.
Joseph Johnson: The 32nd Governor of Virginia.
Jennings Randolph: A U.S. Representative and later a U.S. Senator for many years.
Cyrus Vance: Served as U.S. Secretary of State, Deputy Secretary of Defense, and Secretary of the Army.

Images for kids

Harrison County Courthouse
Statue of Civil War Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, in front of the Harrison County Courthouse
Left, the West Virginia Black Heritage Festival in Clarksburg, WV. Center, the Scottish Festival & Celtic Gathering in Bridgeport, WV. Right, the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival in Clarksburg.
Harrison County Courthouse
Views of Main Street in Clarksburg (left) and the Benedum Civic Center in Bridgeport (right). Clarksburg and Bridgeport are the largest cities in Harrison County.