Fayette County

Fayette County was created in 1831 from parts of Greenbrier, Kanawha, Nicholas and Logan Counties, and named in honor of the Marquis de LaFayette. On New River, in 1671, Batts and Fallam officially claimed the Mississippi Valley for Great Britian in opposition to the claim of France. The first court was held at New Haven, near Ansted.

The economy of Fayette County was originally dependant on coal mining until the establishment of the New River Gorge National River by the National Park Service in the late 1980s. Since the turn of the 21st century, the economy has become largely dependent on tourism and travel related services. It is also the site of increasing residential and vacation-home development, and several outstanding private residential communities have been established near the national parklands in the central county near Ansted, Oak Hill, and Fayetteville.

Fayette County, WV

County Seat: Fayetteville, WV
Population: 47,579 (2000 Census (http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=01000US&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US54%7C16000US5405332&_street=&_county=fayette&_cityTown=&_state=04000US54&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on))
Fayette County Profile: Fayette County (http://www.wvbep.org/bep/lmi/CNTYPROF/CP99FAYE.HTM)

Cities and Towns

Ansted, WV: on the Midland Trail Scenic Highway (U.S. 60) near the northern end of the New River Gorge National River and southern Gauley River National Recreation Area, home of Hawks Nest State Park
Fayetteville, WV: county seat on the U.S. 19 expressway, popular residential community, center of tourism industry development along the northern New River Gorge National River
Gauley Bridge, WV: on the Midland Trail Scenic Highway (U.S. 60) in upper Kanawha Valley, site of junction of the New River and Gauley River
Meadow Bridge,WV: largely agricultural community in southeastern county near I-64 and the southern New River Gorge National River
Mount Hope,WV: on W.Va. 16 near U.S. 19 expressway, former service center for surrounding coalfields, bedroom community of Beckley, WV: (to the southeast), near the central New River Gorge National River, now in economic decline
Mountgomery, WV: site of WVU Institute of Technology in upper Kanawha Valley, near the Midland Trail Scenic Highway (U.S. 60)
Oak Hill, WV: on U.S. 19 expressway, largest community in Fayette County and among the 20 largest cities in West Virginia, popular residential community and service center for central county, near northern New River Gorge National River
Pax, WV: on Interestate 77-64, a community in economic decline though its location along interstate highway could lead to economic potential in tourism
Smithers,WV: on the Midland Trail Scenic Highway (U.S. 60) near the northern end of the New River Gorge National River
Thurmond,WV: former railroad boomtown, now the smallest municipality in state, located in the New River Gorge National River, much of the town now owned by the National Park Service
Winona, WV: a once thriving town within walking distance of several coal mining operations clustered along the Keeneys Creek Branch, a branch line railroad built in the late 1800s.

Elevation

The elevation of Fayette County varies from 597.2 feet above sea level at Montgomery, WV, on the Kanawha River in the northwestern county to 3,375 feet on the crests of Sewell Mountain in eastern Fayette County.

Schools

Fayette County Schools (http://boe.faye.k12.wv.us/)

Libraries

Fayette County Public Library (http://fayette.lib.wv.us/)

Local Parks

Fayette County contains many local parks and park areas, many of which are being improved to support increased tourism.

Fayette County Park

State Parks

Two of the best known state parks in West Virginia are located in Fayette County along the New River Gorge. Babcock State Park is the largest state park in West Virginia and includes a much-photographed working gristmill. Hawks Nest State Park includes panoramic views of the New River Gorge popularized by their location along U.S. 60 (the Midland Trail).

Babcock State Park
Hawks Nest State Park

National Parks

Two areas of the National Park System (NPS) are located in Fayette County. They protect its scenic gorges and their namesake whitewater rivers as well as part of the Meadow River.

New River Gorge National River
Gauley River National Recreation Area