Formed January 1, 1788 (9th county)
Pendleton County (6,145), Franklin (489)
The red brick Greek Revival courthouse was built in 1926. There was an 1889 facility before. It is on Main Street at Chestnut Street. United States Highway 220 is Main Street in the town. Snyder Brothers are the building designers. It features a tower and columns. Pendleton County was formed on January 1, 1788 from parts of Augusta and Rockingham counties, Virginia and Hardy County, West Virginia as the 9th county. Franklin has always been the county seat. The county is named for Virginia Statesman Edmund Pendleton. The county seat was named for settler Frances Evick.
Pendleton County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners. Two Circuit Court Judges serve Pendleton, Hampshire, and Hardy counties and One Family Court Judge and Two Magistrate Court Judges serve Pendleton, Grant, and Hardy counties. The county is located on the eastern border with Virginia. Charleston, West Virginia is southwest and Roanoke, Virginia is south of the county. The county center is 7 miles North of Franklin nearer Ruddle. The county is surrounded clockwise by Tucker, Grant, and Hardy counties and Virginia and Pocahontas and Randolph counties.
The area of the county is 698 square miles. It is 5 out of 55 in the state. It ranks 54 out of 55 in population in the state. It has a density of 8.8 persons per square mile making it 54 out of 55 in the state. Pendleton County has 8.0% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 33 enters the county from the east, Virginia, and exits to the northwest, Randolph County. United States Highway 220 comes from Grant County, north, and goes to Virginia, south. The highest point in West Virginia, Spruce Knob, is in the county. The county resembles a bag of marbles. Franklin is located in the southern third of the county. Franklin is the county seat and the largest city since it is the only incorporated city. It is 8.0% of the county population.
Franklin
