Formed March 5, 1856 (45th county)
Calhoun County (6,228), Grantsville (495)
The stone Art Deco courthouse was erected in 1940. The courthouse is on a square at Main, Court, Market, and High streets. Main Street is West Virginia State Highway 5 in the town. Theodore T. Sansbury is the architect. It features a tower with veteran memorials on the grounds. Calhoun County was formed on March 5, 1856 from Gilmer County as the 45th county and Grantsville has always been the county seat. The county is named for South Carolina Statesman John C. Calhoun. The county seat was named for General Ulysses S. Grant. He is also the namesake of Grant County.
Calhoun County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners. Three Circuit Court Judges serve Calhoun, Jackson, Mason, and Roane counties and One Family Court Judge and Two Magistrate Court Judges serve Calhoun, Gilmer, Ritchie, and Roane counties. The county is in western West Virginia. Charleston, West Virginia is southwest and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is northeast of the county. The county center is 5 miles South of Grantsville nearer Mount Zion. The county is surrounded clockwise by Ritchie, Gilmer, Braxton, Clay, Roane, and Wirt counties.
The area of the county is 281 square miles. It is 46 out of 55 in the state. It ranks 53 out of 55 in population in the state. It has a density of 22.2 persons per square mile making it 49 out of 55 in the state. Calhoun County has 8.0% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highways 33/119 enter the county from the northeast, Gilmer County, and exits to the west, Roane County. The county looks like a capital letter I leaning toward the west. Grantsville is located in the northern third of the county. Grantsville is the county seat and, as the only incorporated city, it is the largest city. It is 8.0% of the county population.
Grantsville
