Monongalia County, West Virginia

1911 School Bell 1Lt Jacob "Jake" Fritz 201st Infantry/ Field Artillery 9/11 Memorial A Small Dam and a Big "Bowl" Meet the Need for Clean Water Beacon Bell of the Armored Cruiser U.S.S. West Virginia Blacksville Border Heroine Boreman Hall South Brooks Hall Bunny Hop Camp Muffly Cassville Veterans Memorial Catawba War Path Catawba War Path Cheat Haven and Bruceton Railroad Chief James H. Kennedy Chinquapin Oak Chitwood Hall Christopher No. 3 Mine Tragedy Clean Water Comes To Morgantown Clinton Cabin Core Arboretum Courthouse Square Dawn Redwood Dents Run Covered Bridge Don Knotts Dunkard Sands Easton Roller Mill Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Eleanor Roosevelt Elizabeth Moore Hall Everettville Mine Disaster F. Duke Perry Walkway Federal Mine No. 3 First Methodist Protestant Church First Pottery / Old Iron Works Ford House Fort Martin Fort Martin Fort Pierpont From The Mountain Fueling a Community: The Henry Clay Iron Furnace George Washington Stopped Here Guthrie Loop Area Harmony Grove Church Henry Clay Furnace Henry Clay Iron Furnace Honor Roll Honor Roll Star City, W.Va. Hot Rod Hundley Ice’s Ferry In Honor and Remembrance In Honor of Those Who Served In Memory And Honor Of Those Who Served Their Country In Memory of James Arnett In Memory of Jonathan Summers and Catherine In Memory of Sarah Morgan In Memory Of The First Ladies Of Westover Indian Park - Burrows Cemetery James K. Samuel, Jr. Jeffrey D. Straface Jerry West John F. Kennedy Memorial Park Joseph Snider Kerns Fort Korean Conflict Memorial Legends Legends Liberty Island Tree Lynch Chapel Martin Hall Mason-Dixon Line Mason-Dixon Line Mast of the Battleship West Virginia Memorial Fountain Monongalia Arts Center Monongalia County / Marion County Monongalia County / Pennsylvania Monongalia County Courthouse Monongalia County War Memorial Monongalia High School Montani Semper Liberi Morgantown Mountaineer Field Mt. Tabor Baptist Church Music Newton Apple Tree Norman Rossinow Oglebay Hall Old Iron Works Old Stone House Orville Eberly Plaza Osage Spot Patrick Dunn Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism Price Memorial Cemetery Purinton House Ralph Lemley: Resourceful Caretaker Remnants of the Past: The Dam and Outlet Tower Riverside Honor Roll Rogers House Sabraton Honor Roll Saint Francis De Sales Church Salt Sand Scotts Run / The First Shack Scott's Run Railway Co. Scott’s Run Veterans Memorial Second Ward Elementary School Seneca Glass Company Sergeant George A. Mitchell, Jr. Shane Childers Shanks Mill Site of the Birthplace of David Adam Ice SSG Anissa Shero SSG Gene A. Vance, Jr. Stalnaker Hall Star City Veterans Monument Stewart Hall Stewartstown Stewartstown Stewartstown Honor Roll Strong Men and Horses Build the Basin Sugar Maple The CCC: Creating a Lasting Monument to Conservation The F-84F Thunderstreak The Ghost of a Train The Hough-Hall Family The Monongalia General Hospital The Office The Tibbs Run Reservoir: Then a Water Source, Now a Local Treasure The West Warren Baptist Church They Counted To the Patriots of the American Revolution Town of Granville Honor Roll Vance Farmhouse Veterans Buried Here Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorials VFW Post 548 Veterans Memorials Vietnam Conflict Memorial Vietnam Memorial Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wagon Road Waitman Thomas Willey Walters House West Virginia / Pennsylvania West Virginia University West Virginia University West Virginia University Westover Honor Roll Westwood Middle School Who Wants Clean Water? Willey House / Willey Amendment Women's Centenary Woodburn Circle Woodburn Hall World War I and II Memorial World War I Memorial World War I Memorial World War II Memorial World War II Memorial Zackwill Morgan "Clean Mountain Water" Not So Clean "The Hick House" “The Baptist Church at the Forks of Cheat”
Monongalia County, located in north-central West Virginia, has a rich and diverse history. The area was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Monongahela and Shawnee, until European settlers arrived in the 18th century. In 1776, Monongalia County was established as the first county in what is now West Virginia.

During the American Revolutionary War, Monongalia County played a significant role as a frontier outpost. Fort Burris, built in Morgantown, provided protection from Native American attacks and served as a staging ground for expeditions against British troops and their Native American allies.

In the early 19th century, Monongalia County experienced rapid growth with the development of transportation infrastructure, particularly the construction of the Northwestern Turnpike (now U.S. Route 50) and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. These developments spurred economic growth, attracting settlers and businesses to the region.

The county's economy shifted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the decline of agriculture as mining and manufacturing industries emerged. Coal mining became a major industry, attracting immigrants from Europe and African Americans from the South. Monongalia County also saw growth in manufacturing, particularly glass making, which elevated the region's economy and positioned Morgantown as a hub for education and research.

Today, Monongalia County is home to West Virginia University, one of the state's largest institutions of higher education. The county continues to experience economic growth, driven by the university, healthcare, and technology sectors. With its historical significance and thriving present, Monongalia County remains a vibrant and dynamic part of West Virginia's landscape.
Brief timeline of the history of Monongalia County, West Virginia:

Here is a brief timeline of the history of Monongalia County, WV:

  • 1776: Monongalia County is established by an act of the Virginia General Assembly.
  • 1784: Morgantown, the county seat, is established and named after Colonel Zackquill Morgan.
  • 1796: The University of Pittsburgh is founded as the Pittsburgh Academy, and later becomes a renowned educational institution.
  • 1800: The Northwestern Turnpike is completed, improving transportation and trade in the region.
  • 1861: West Virginia secedes from Virginia and becomes its own state during the American Civil War.
  • 1914: The West Virginia University is established in Morgantown, becoming a major educational center.
  • 1975: The Interstate 68 highway is completed, connecting Morgantown with other major cities.
  • 2003: The Monongahela River Locks & Dam Number 3, a significant waterway infrastructure, is completed.
  • 2020: Monongalia County celebrates its 244th year since establishment.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Monongalia County, West Virginia.