Monroe County, West Virginia


Monroe County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,376. Its county seat is Union.
Monroe County was the home of Andrew Summers Rowan, a soldier in the Spanish–American War commemorated in Elbert Hubbard's essay "A Message to Garcia."
In 1928 the Jones Diamond was found lying on the ground here by two men pitching horseshoes. It is the largest alluvial diamond ever found in North America.
WWW monroecountywv.net

History

Monroe County was created from Greenbrier County on January 14, 1799, and was named for Virginia civic figure James Monroe, who would be elected fifth President of the United States in November 1816. It was one of fifty Virginia counties that were admitted to the Union as the state of West Virginia on June 20, 1863, at the height of the Civil War. Monroe County did not participate in the creation of the new state, but was included by Congressional decree. Almost all the men from Monroe who served in the Civil War enlisted in the Confederate army.
In 1863, West Virginia's counties were divided into civil townships, with the intention of encouraging local government. This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872 the townships were converted into magisterial districts. Monroe County was initially divided into seven townships: Forest Hill, Red Sulphur, Second Creek, Springfield, Sweet Springs, Union, and Wolf Creek. In 1871, part of Forest Hill Township was added to the new county of Summers, and the remaining territory distributed between Red Sulphur and Springfield Townships. The following year, the six remaining townships became magisterial districts. Except for minor adjustments, the six historic magisterial districts were unchanged until the 1990s, when they were consolidated into three new districts: Central, Eastern, and Western.

Geography

Monroe County lies on the southeast side of West Virginia. Its southeast border abuts the northwest border of the state of Virginia. The New River flows northward for a short distance along the county's southwest border. The county's terrain is mountainous and tree-covered, with all sufficiently level surfaces devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the north and west, with its highest part the middle part of its border with Virginia, at ASL. The county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Watersheds

Tributaries of the James River, part of the Chesapeake Bay
Tributaries of the New River
Tributaries of the Greenbrier River

National Natural Landmark

National protected areas

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 12,376. Of the residents, 20.0% were under the age of 18 and 24.6% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 47.7 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.7 males.
The racial makeup of the county was 95.1% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian, 0.4% from some other race, and 3.2% from two or more races. [Hispanic and Race (United States Census)|Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino] residents of any race comprised 0.8% of the population.
There were 5,130 households in the county, of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 22.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 6,219 housing units, of which 17.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 82.5% were owner-occupied and 17.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.6%.
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010
White alone 13,44813,11011,73992.22%97.10%94.85%
Black or African American alone 868891135.95%0.66%0.91%
Native American or Alaska Native alone 3326260.23%0.19%0.21%
Asian alone 2315110.16%0.11%0.09%
Pacific Islander alone 2300.01%0.02%0.00%
Other race alone 410300.03%0.07%0.24%
Mixed race or Multiracial 1331663630.91%1.23%2.93%
Hispanic or Latino 7283940.49%0.61%0.76%
Total14,58313,50212,376100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 13,502 people, 5,655 households, and 3,915 families in the county. The population density was. There were 7,601 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 97.5% white, 0.7% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 19.5% were Irish, 16.7% were English, 16.3% were German, 10.4% were American, and 5.7% were Scotch-Irish.
Of the 5,655 households, 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.8% were non-families, and 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age was 45.0 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,574 and the median income for a family was $45,106. Males had a median income of $35,709 versus $23,782 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,927. About 10.3% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,583 people, 5,447 households, and 3,883 families in the county. The population density was. There were 7,267 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 92.67% White, 5.98% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.03% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. 0.49% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 5,447 households, out of which 29.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.80% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.88.
The county population contained 20.10% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 26.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 79.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $27,575, and the median income for a family was $35,299. Males had a median income of $25,643 versus $22,104 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,435. About 12.60% of families and 16.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.30% of those under age 18 and 12.30% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Monroe County was strongly pro-Confederate during the Virginia Secession Convention. It voted Democratic consistently up until voting for William McKinley in 1900, but since then has leaned Republican except during Democratic landslides, and like all of West Virginia has become overwhelmingly Republican in the twenty-first century due to declining unionization and differences with the Democratic Party's views on social issues.

Law, Government and infrastructure

Monroe County is governed by a three-person, elected county commission. Other elected officers include the sheriff, county clerk, circuit clerk, assessor, prosecuting attorney, surveyor, one circuit judge, two magistrates, and a family court judge. There is also a five-member school board and six conservation district supervisors, with at least two from each county in the district.

County Offices

Board of Education

The Board of Education is elected through non-partisan general elections, without primaries. While West Virginia law allows for elections by sub-districts or at-large, Monroe County's board members are elected from Magisterial Districts. Each of the three Magisterial Districts is represented by one board member.

Commissioners

DistrictHolderPartyTerm expires
CentralKenny MannRepublicanUnknown
EasternKevin GalfordRepublicanUnknown
WesternMelvin YoungUnknownUnknown
There are three members in the county commission. One member resides in each magisterial district, but are elected countywide. Commissioners hold six-year terms, and one commissioner is elected every two years.

Conservation District Supervisors

OfficeHolderPartyTerm expires
Supervisor Gary Sawyers non-partisan2028
Supervisor Timothy VanReenen non-partisan2028
Supervisor Gary Truex non-partisan2026
SupervisorDonald McNeel non-partisan2028
SupervisorAvery Atkins non-partisan2026
SupervisorCarolyn Miller non-partisan2028
Monroe, along with Monroe and Pocahontas counties, is represented by the Greenbrier Valley district. At least two supervisors per county are elected during primaries and serve four-year terms.

Judicial

Monroe, along with Summers County is in the Thirtieth Judicial Circuit.

Circuit Court

Circuit Court Judges are elected to eight-year terms. Clerks are elected to eight-year terms.

Family Court

Monroe, and Greenbrier county make up the 15th Family Court Circuit. Judges are elected to eight-year terms.

Magistrate Court

Magistrates are elected in non-partisan elections during primaries, and serve four-year terms.

State Legislature

Each county in West Virginia is represented by one or more House of Delegates members and state senators.

House of Delegates

DistrictHolderPartyTerm expires
40Roy CooperRepublican2026
47Ray CanterburyRepublican2026
Monroe County is represented by the 40th and 47th District in the West Virginia House of Delegates. Delegates serve two-year terms with all of the seats in the House up for election every two years.

State Senate

HolderPartyTerm expires
Vince DeedsRepublican2026
Jack WoodrumRepublican2028
Monroe County is currently represented by West Virginia's 10th Senate district. Senators serve four-year terms with half of those seats up for election every two years.

Federal Representatives

United States House of Representatives

DistrictHolderPartyTerm expires
[West Virginia's West Virginia's 1st congressional district|1st congressional district|1st]Carol MillerRepublican2027
Monroe County is represented in congress by the 1st congressional district of West Virginia.

FPC Alderson

The Federal Bureau of Prisons' Federal Prison Camp, Alderson was the nation's first women's federal prison. It is located in Monroe and Summers counties, west of Alderson.

Natural landmarks

One of Monroe County's geological features is Haynes Cave, a former saltpeter mine. Workers in the mine found strange bones in the cave at the end of the 18th Century, and mailed them to Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson's study of the animal, the Megalonyx jeffersonii was arguably the birth of American paleontology. It is now the official West Virginia state fossil.
However, other saltpeter caves are in private ownership, and allow only limited public access due to ecological risks. One such is the Greenville Saltpeter Cave, designated a national natural landmark in 1973, and very important during the War of 1812.

Historic landmarks

Education

Monroe County Schools operates public schools:

Farmers' Day

Farmers' Day is an annual event, held on the first Saturday in June in Union, to recognize the farming families in the surrounding area. The event, founded by Louie H. Peters, fills the weekend, with a Friday dance, a 3k run, a Saturday pancake breakfast, Sunday activities, and a parade held in the town of Union.

Notable inhabitants

Communities

Towns

Magisterial districts

  • Central
  • Eastern
  • Western

Unincorporated communities