Webster

Formed January 10, 1860 (50^th county)

Webster County (8,380), Webster Springs (730)

The stone Romanesque Revival structure was constructed on a hill in 1896.  It is located in Court Square where Church and Main streets meet.  West Virginia State Highway 15 is Church Street and Main Street in the town.  Frenzhein & Gesey are the building designers.  It features a tower with veteran memorials on the grounds.  Webster County was created on January 10, 1860 from parts of Braxton, Nicholas, and Randolph counties as the 50^th county.  Webster Springs has always been the county seat.  The county is named for American statesman Daniel Webster.  The county seat was named for the county and local springs. 

Webster County government consists of a sheriff, an attorney, a clerk, and an assessor (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Two Circuit Court Judges serve Webster, Braxton, Clay, and Gilmer counties, One Family Court Judge and Two Magistrate Court Judges serve Webster and Pocahontas counties and a court clerk serves Webster County (judicial.)  The county is located in east central West Virginia.  Charleston, West Virginia is southwest and Roanoke, Virginia is southeast of the county.  The county center is 4.4 miles Northeast of Webster Springs.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Upshur, Randolph, Pocahontas, Greenbrier, Nicholas, Braxton, and Lewis counties. 

The area of the county is 556 square miles.  It is 12 out of 55 in the state.  It ranks 45 out of 55 in population in the state.  It has a density of 15.1 persons per square mile making it 53 out of 55 in the state.  Webster County has 16.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county.  The county looks like a balloon.  Webster Springs is located in the southern third of the county.  Webster Springs is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 8.7% of the county population.