McDowell

Formed February 28, 1858 (48^th county)

McDowell County (19,118), Welch (3,594)

This stone Richardsonian Romanesque courthouse was erected in 1894 and remodeled and enlarged in 1908 and 1961.  The structure is located on Wyoming Street at Court Street.  Wyoming Street is West Virginia State Highway 16 in this part of the town.  Frank Pierce Milburn is the designer.  The courthouse is on a hill and features a tower.  McDowell County was established on February 28, 1858 from Tazewell County, Virginia as the 48^th county.  Wilco (1866), Perryville (1872), and Welch (1892) have all served as the county seat.  The county is named for Virginia Governor James McDowell.  The county seat was named for Civil War hero Isaiah A. Welch. 

McDowell County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two Circuit Court Judges serve McDowell County and Three Family Court Judges and Three Magistrate Court Judges serve McDowell and Mercer counties.  The county is located on the southern border with Virginia.  Charleston, West Virginia is north and Roanoke, Virginia is east of the county.  The county center is 6.2 miles Southwest of Welch nearer Coalwood.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Wyoming and Mercer counties and Virginia and Mingo County.  The county is shaped like a bowl. 

The area of the county is 535 square miles.  It is 13 out of 55 in the state.  It ranks 32 out of 55 in population in the state.  It has a density of 35.7 persons per square mile making it 36 out of 55 in the state.  McDowell County has 34.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 52 crosses the county from northwest to southeast from Wyoming County to Mercer County.  Welch is located in the northern third of the county.  Welch is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 18.8% of the county population.

Welch