Gilmer

Formed February 3, 1845 (34^th county)

Gilmer County (7,417), Glenville (1,124)

The 1921 tan brick Classical Revival building replaced an 1874 version of the courthouse.  The structure is on Court Street at Howard Street.  United States Highway 33 is one block northwest of the site.  Holabo and Lafferty are the architects.  The building was renovated in 1974 and an Annex was added.  The courthouse features columns with veteran memorials on the grounds.  The county was created on February 3, 1845 from parts of Lewis and Kanawha counties as the 34^th county.  DeKalb was the first county seat until 1846 when Glenville assumed the role.  The county is named for Virginia Governor Thomas Walker Gilmer.  The county seat is a geographical name for its location in a glen. 

Gilmer County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two Circuit Court Judges serve Gilmer, Braxton, Clay, and Webster counties and One Family Court Judge and One Magistrate Court Judge serve Gilmer, Calhoun, Ritchie, and Roane counties.  The county is the central part of the state.  Charleston, West Virginia is southwest and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is northeast of the county.  The county center is 1.9 miles Southwest of Glenville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Doddridge, Lewis, Braxton, Calhoun, and Ritchie counties.  The county looks like a fat hatchet.  Glenville is located near the center of the county.  Glenville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 15.2% of the county population. 

The area of the county is 340 square miles.  It is 39 out of 55 in the state.  It ranks 51 out of 55 in population in the state.  It has a density of 21.8 persons per square mile making it 50 out of 55 in the state.  Gilmer County has 17.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highways 33/119 enter the county from the east, Lewis County, and exits to the southwest, Calhoun County.