West Virginia

Despite opposition from most of the region west of the Alleghenies, Virginia voted to secede from the Union in 1861. The result was West Virginia broke away and formed the pro-Union Restored State of Virginia. The "Restored" Virginia gave its blessing to the new State and laid the problem in the busy hands of the Federal government after a new constitution had been ratified. Congress approved admission of the State and on December 10, 1862, the legislation went to the White House for President Lincoln's approval and signature.

The oldest evidences of life found in West Virginia occur in rocks about 600 million years old, in the Antietam Formation of Lower Cambrian age.

Historical facts about West Virginia are available from a number of resources. Articles and pictures illustrating most aspects of the area’s history from the West Virginia History Center. There are 17 covered bridges left in West Virginia. The Barrackville covered bridge, in Marion County, is the second-oldest still existing covered bridge in West Virginia. Find out about all the covered bridges by visit an online site dedicated to covered bridges.

Harrison County

Indians hunted throughout our area from prehistoric times, harrying settlers as they pushed west from Virginia. But the quest for property was too strong and villages and towns were organized from the mid-1700s on. Harrison County was named after Benjamin Harrison, the governor of Virginia from 1781-1784 and father and grandfather of two U.S. presidents.

Created in 1784 from Monongalia County and named for Benjamin Harrison, distinguished Virginian. Benjamin Harrison was the father of William Henry Harrison, ninth President of the United States, and the great grandfather of Benjamin Harrison, twenty-third President. Clarksburg were established in 1785. Bridgeport, originally known as Powers Fort, was chartered in 1816, named after the first bridge in the county across Simpson Creek in 1803. The first settlers took advantage of the heavily forested terrain and many streams and rivers to build sawmills and gristmills. The coal industry got its start in the 1830s. The railroad opened huge new horizons in the middle of the 1800s, followed by the discovery of oil and gas in the 1870s. This spawned an industrial boom at the turn of the century, including more than a dozen glassworks.

Historical facts about Harrison County can be found at many Web addresses. A complete account of the county history can be found online. The West Virginia History Center has articles and pictures online that illustrate most aspects of the area’s history. There is a list of historic places in Harrison County made available by the West Virginia Historic Preservation Office.

Marion County

Europeans pushing west from Virginia beginning in the 1760s settled the area. The first settlers built Prickett’s Fort in about 1774 for protection from Indians. Marion County was carved out of Harrison and Monongalia Counties in 1842 and named after "The Swamp Fox," Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion. Fairmont, now the county seat, was settled in the 1790s and incorporated as Middletown in 1820, merging with a town across the Monongahela River in 1843 and taking the name Fairmont.

Learn more about the history of Marion County. Visit historic Marion County sites online. There is a list of historic places in Marion County made available by the West Virginia Historic Preservation Office.