Monongalia

Formed October 9, 1776 (4^th county)

Monongalia County (105,822), Morgantown (30,177)

The classic red brick Romanesque Revival structure was constructed in 1891.  The facility is on High Street at Walnut Street.  United States Highway 119 passes in front of the courthouse.  James Bailey provided the building designs.  It features a tower with a working clock.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds.  The county was formed on October 9, 1776 from Augusta County Virginia as the 4^th county.  Geneva was the first county seat until 1782 when Morgantown took over.  Monongalia County is named for the Monongahela River.  The county seat was named for settlers Zackquill and David Morgan.  Monongalia County is the birthplace of 1 West Virginia Governor, William E. Glasscock. 

Monongalia County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two Circuit Court Judges serve Monongalia County and Two Family Court Judges and Four Magistrate Court Judges serve Monongalia and Preston counties.  The county is on the northern border with Pennsylvania.  Charleston, West Virginia is southwest and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is north of the county.  The county center is in Morgantown 2.7 miles Northwest of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Pennsylvania and Preston, Taylor, Marion, and Wetzel counties.  The county looks like a stapler. 

The area of the county is 361 square miles.  It is 32 out of 55 in the state.  It ranks 3 out of 55 in population in the state.  It has a density of 293.1 persons per square mile making it 5 out of 55 in the state.  Monongalia County has 35.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 68 enters the county from the east, Preston County, and terminates.  Interstate Highway 79 comes from Pennsylvania, north, and goes to Marion County, southwest.  United States Highway 19 parallels Interstate Highway 79 from Pennsylvania to Marion County.  United States Highway 119 enters from Pennsylvania, north, and goes to Taylor County, southeast.  Morgantown is located in the eastern third of the county.  Morgantown is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 28.5% of the county population.  The county is pronounced MO-NON-GA-EE-LA.  This county is in the Morgantown Metropolitan Statistical Area.