Elizabeth, West Virginia

Elizabeth, WV (West Virginia), the seat of Wirt County, was chartered in 1822 and named for Elizabeth Beauchamp, the wife of settler David Beauchamp. The town figured prominently in the Burning Springs Oil Boom before the Civil War.

Located at a crossing on the Little Kanawha River, the sleepy village boomed when oil produced upstream at Burning Springs was recognized as industrially valuable. The river was outfitted with locks that allowed steamboats to ply upstream from the Ohio River as early as 1842. The Kanawha Hotel, a relic of the oil boom period in Elizabeth, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

As of the 2010 census, 823 people, 377 households, and 228 families lived in the town.

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The site of Elizabeth was first settled by William Beauchamp (1743-1808) in 1796. It was known as “Beauchamp’s Mills” until 1817, when it was renamed for Elizabeth (Woodyard) Beauchamp (1780-1838), the wife of William’s son David Beauchamp (1776-1828). It was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in 1822 and became the county seat when Wirt County was created in 1848.

Prior to the arrival of settlers of European descent in the 1700s, villages of indigenous peoples occupied the town site and the nearby levels of the valley along the river.

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The climate in the valley of the Little Kanawha near Elizabeth is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Elizabeth has a humid continental climate. On average, the last spring frost occurs on May 4 and the first fall frost on October 14.

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Lodging near Elizabeth, West Virginia

Elizabeth (WV) Hotels

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Parks & Public Recreation

The area around Elizabeth is a popular destination for outdoor recreation. Fishing and kayaking are popular on the Little Kanawha and Hughes rivers. The near reaches of the Hughes Wildlife Management Area, the Burning Springs Wildlife Management Area, and the Lynn Camp Wildlife Management Area are located near the town. The Ritchie Mines Wildlife Management Area is located 10 miles farther east along the South Fork of the Hughes River.

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Location

Elizabeth is located on highway WV-14, approximately 20 miles southeast of Parkersburg, West Virginia, and 30 miles north of Spencer, West Virginia.

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Map of Elizabeth, West Virginia

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Regional Information

Elizabeth is located in the Heartland Region of western West Virginia near the Mid-Ohio Valley Region.

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Stories Featuring Elizabeth, West Virginia

Practically inaccessible for years, one of the state’s legendary rock formations is attracting the attention of hikers and other intrepid sightseers.