Pocahontas

Formed December 21, 1821 (22^nd county)

Pocahontas County (7,873), Marlinton (995)

The red brick Romanesque Revival facility was erected in 1894.  There was an 1824 courthouse in Huntersville.  Marlinton became the county seat in 1891.  The county was founded on December 21, 1821 from parts of Pendleton and Randolph counties and Bath County Virginia as the 22^nd county.  It is named for the Native American.  Marlinton was named for settler, Jacob Marlin.  The courthouse is located on 10^th Avenue at 9^th Street.  West Virginia State Highway 39 is two blocks north.  Millard F. Giesey designed the structure.  The building was enlarged in 1976.  It features a tower with a military gun and veteran memorials on the grounds. 

Pocahontas County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two Circuit Court Judges serve Pocahontas and Greenbrier counties and One Family Court Judge and Two Magistrate Court Judges serve Pocahontas and Webster counties.  The county is on the eastern border with Virginia.  Charleston, West Virginia is west and Roanoke, Virginia is south of the county.  The county center is 12.3 miles Northeast of Marlinton nearer Clover Lick.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Randolph and Pendleton counties and Virginia and Greenbrier and Webster counties. 

The area of the county is 940 square miles.  It is 3 out of 55 in the state.  It ranks 48 out of 55 in population in the state.  It has a density of 8.4 persons per square mile making it 55 out of 55 in the state.  Pocahontas County has 18.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 219 enters the county from the north, Randolph County, and exits to the south, Greenbrier County.  United States Highway 250 comes from the east, Virginia, and goes to the north, Randolph County.  The county resembles a whale swimming southwest.  Marlinton is located in the southwest quarter of the county.  Marlinton is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 12.6% of the county population.