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Wood County

Named for James Wood, Virginia’s governor from 1796 to 1800, Wood County was established by the Virginia General Assembly on December 21, 1798, a little over 13 years after the first permanent white settlement (Neal’s Station) had been founded in the county.

Mapped Points

• Parkersburg

  Parkersburg is the county seat of Wood County. Parkersburg is home to Ohio Valley University and West Virginia University at Parkersburg. Fort Boreman Historical Park opened in 2006.
  

  

• Vienna

  In 1972, Vienna became home to the Grand Central Mall, West Virginia’s first shopping mall.

• Williamstown

  Williamstown is the site of one of the earliest settlements in Wood County, having been claimed in 1770 by brothers Joseph and Samuel Tomlinson.

• Volcano

  Volcano was an oil boom town between 1864 and 1897. During its peak years there were hotels, schools, churches, saloons, an opera house, a newspaper, sawmill, barrel factory, post office, stores, and many houses at Volcano.
  

  

• Blennerhassett Island

  Blennerhassett Island’s most momentous chapter opened with the 1798 arrival of Harman and Margaret Blennerhassett, wealthy Irish aristocrats fleeing political persecution and personal scandal. Their years on the island, while brief, were charged with excitement and high style.
  

  

• Ohio River

  The Ohio River begins at Pittsburgh, with the union of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. From there the Ohio travels 981 miles to Cairo, Illinois, where it joins the Mississippi.

• Little Kanawha River

  The Little Kanawha River enters the Ohio River at Parkersburg, 169 miles from its beginning near Craddock, Upshur County. As it flows westward through Braxton, Gilmer, Calhoun, Wirt, and Wood counties, the Little Kanawha gathers water from numerous creeks and streams.