monroe County,
West Virginia
Welcome
...to Monroe County, West Virginia. Where all roads lead home.
Secluded in the Allegheny Highlands, present-day Monroe County
remained a land unseen for several generations of early
Virginia colonists. The first settlers arrived around
1760, beginning a 30-year period of frontier conflict.
Formation of Monroe as a separated County, separated from
Greenbrier, came in 1799. The new County was named for
James Monroe, Virginia's governor at the time.
Monroe's economic basis has always been farming and timber
harvesting. Beginning around 1790, two additional
activities were important for about 70 years. It was the
age of water power, and streams such as Indian Creek and The
Second Creek supported more than two dozen water-powered
mills. During the same period, the area's mineral
springs became major summer resorts, catering to Southerners
seeking relief from lowland summer heat.
Monroe County supported the Confederate cause during the War
between the States. When the Federal side carved the new
State of West Virginia from Virginia in 1863 included Monroe
County, a designation resisted by residents until 1865.
After the War, with the South's economy and social order
devastated, the old resorts faded away. New railroads
came nearby, but bypassed Monroe County except at more
accessible edges. Steam power and newer forms of energy
overshadowed water power. Lacking suitable coal
deposits, Monroe County lies outside the area which
encompasses most of West Virginia. For these reasons,
"Old Monroe" relies largely on agriculture and retains its
pastoral character. In recent times tranquil landscapes
has attracted a number of artisans, retirees, and knowledge
workers.
Peaceful and Tranquil
Nestled in the Appalachians, the sound of soft babbling streams fills the seasonal air. A trip down State Route 219 takes you through rolling hills and small towns where the hustle and bustle of city life is replaced with friendly "Hellos" and "How are you doing?" This is where the seasons show each of their faces. From the scorching heat, where you find families by the pool or lake at Moncove Lake State Park, or wading through the waters of Indian Creek, to small children building snowmen in the fresh powdery snow while they ignore the coldness. This is Monroe County, where neighbors are friends and friends are family.
NEWS RELEASES:
05/29/09 - Monroe County Rabies Clinic Schedules
05/08/09 - Monroe County Health
Department Issues Press Release on Swine Flu (Update
05/08/09).
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Additional Links |
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| Town of Peterstown | Monroe County Schools |
| Town of Union | Monroe County Tourism |
| Town of Alderson | Photo Gallery |
| Monroe County Libraries | Local Links |
| Historic Districts and Sites | |
Commission | Assessor | County Clerk | Circuit Clerk | Sheriff | Tax | Pros. Attorney | Magistrates | 911
