Marion

Formed January 14, 1842 (29^th county)

Marion County (56,211), Fairmont (18,704)

The classic tan masonry Beaux Arts courthouse was built in 1900 to replace an 1844 version.  The structure is located on Jefferson Street at Adams Street.  United States Highway 19 passes in front of the courthouse.  The architects are Joseph Warren Yost and Frank L. Packard.  It features a dome with Lady Justice on top and columns.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds.  The county was organized on January 14, 1842 from parts of Monongalia and Harrison counties as the 29^th county.  Fairmont has always been the county seat.  American Revolutionary War General Francis Marion is the county namesake.  Fairmont is a geographical term for the “fair mountain.”  Marion County is the birthplace of 3 West Virginia Governors, Aretas B. Fleming, Ephraim F. Morgan, and Joseph Manchin III. 

Marion County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two Circuit Court Judges, One Family Court Judge and Four Magistrate Court Judges serve Marion County.  The county is in northern West Virginia.  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is north and Charleston, West Virginia is southwest of the county.  The county center is 5.4 miles Northwest of Fairmont nearer Pine Grove.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Monongalia, Taylor, Harrison, and Wetzel counties.  The county resembles a wooden shoe. 

The area of the county is 310 square miles.  It is 43 out of 55 in the state.  It ranks 11 out of 55 in population in the state.  It has a density of 181.3 persons per square mile making it 10 out of 55 in the state.  Marion County has 51.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 79 crosses northeast to southwest from Monongalia County to Harrison County.  United States Highway 19 parallels Interstate Highway 70 from Monongalia to Harrison counties.  United States Highway 250 enters from the northwest, Wetzel County, and exits to the southeast, Taylor County.  Fairmont is located in the southeast quarter of the county.  Fairmont is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 33.3% of the county population.  This county is in the Fairmont Micropolitan Statistical Area.