Formed January 15, 1836 (27th county)
Braxton County (12,449), Sutton (864)
The red brick courthouse was built in 1882. It is on a square at Main Street between 3rd and 4th streets. Main Street is West Virginia State Highway 4. Charles C. Kemble is the Early Colonial Revival building architect. The building has been enlarged. It features a tower and veteran memorials on the grounds. Braxton County was founded on January 15, 1836 from parts of Lewis, Kanawha, and Nicholas counties as the 27th county with Sutton as the only county seat. The county is named for Signer of the Declaration of Independence, Carter Braxton. The county seat was named for settler John D. Sutton.
Braxton County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners. Two Circuit Court Judges serve Braxton, Clay, Gilmer, and Webster counties and One Family Court Judge and Two Magistrate Court Judges serve Braxton, Lewis, and Upshur counties. Braxton County is in the center of the state. The geographical center of West Virginia is 4 miles east of Sutton in the county. Charleston, West Virginia is southwest and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is northeast of the county.
The area of the county is 514 square miles. It is 14 out of 55 in the state. It ranks 45 out of 55 in population in the state. It has a density of 24.2 persons per square mile making it 45 out of 55 in the state. Braxton County has 18.3% of its population in its incorporated areas. Interstate Highway 79 comes into the county from the northeast, Lewis County, and goes to the southwest, Clay County. United States Highway 19 enters from Lewis County and exits to the south, Nicholas County. The county center is 3.2 miles Northwest of Sutton nearer Little Otter. The county is surrounded clockwise by Gilmer, Lewis, Webster, Nicholas, Clay, and Calhoun counties. The county’s overall shape is diamond. Sutton is located slightly south of center in the county. Sutton is the county seat and the largest city. It is 6.9% of the county population.
Burnsville
Flatwoods
Gassaway
Sutton
