
Romney, West Virginia

The oldest incorporated town in West Virginia, Romney is the seat of Hampshire County. (Photo: David Sibray)
Romney, WV (West Virginia), the county seat of Hampshire County, was charted in 1762 and established at the site of Fort Pearsoll, built in 1758 for defense against the Indians. Romney was named by Lord Fairfax for the Town of Romney, on the coast of southern England. While not the oldest settlement in the state, it was the first incorporated town in what’s now West Virginia.
Romney is situated in the valley of the South Branch of the Potomac River. Its population was 1,848 at the 2010 census. The West Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind is located near the center of Romney.
Lodging near Romney, West Virginia
Parks & Public Recreation
The Fort Mill Ridge Wildlife Management Area is located approximately three miles southwest of Romney. The near reaches of the Springfield Wildlife Management Area is located roughly five miles north of the community.
Location
Romney is located on highways US-50 and WV-28 approximately 20 miles east of New Creek, West Virginia, 26 miles northeast of the US-48 expressway at Moorefield, West Virginia, 30 miles south of I-68 at Cumberland, Maryland, and 40 miles west of I-81 at Winchester, Virginia.
Map of Romney, West Virginia
[mappress mapid=”228″]
Regional Information
Romney is located in the Potomac Branches Region in eastern West Virginia.

Recent Articles
Inside Appalachian Escapes: Themed rentals, escape rooms, and a love letter to West Virginia
West Virginia bottler wins silver award at international water competition
BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — Le Sage Natural Water, of Lesage, has been awarded a silver medal for its purified water at the 36th annual Berkeley...
West Virginia uniquely prepared to dominate 21st-century outdoor economy
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is uniquely prepared to dominate in the 21st-century outdoor economy of the U.S., thanks to its unmatched...
Flood risk outpaces warnings, advocates say, as W.Va. considers changes to resiliency fund
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As the W.Va. House of Delegates considers changes to Senate Bill 390, the West Virginia Rivers Coalition warns that the state...
We asked AI how its own data centers could pollute West Virginia. Here’s what it had to say
(The following article was generated partly by ChatGPT in response to a prompt about how data centers pollute. As ChatGPT is powered by data...
Inaugural W.Va. Outdoor Economy Summit to unite leaders around $2.1 billion growth
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s outdoors are more than a scenic backdrop. They’re a strategic economic asset. That message will take...
West Virginia State Parks Foundation launches online merchandise store
HURRICANE, W.Va. — The West Virginia State Parks Foundation has launched an official online merchandise store, offering supporters a new way to...
West Virginia Travel Safety: What it means for residents and visitors in 2026
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Travel safety in West Virginia is shaped less by headline-grabbing crime and more by geography, weather, and the realities of...
Did Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis secretly meet in West Virginia?
PHILIPPI, W.Va. — Did Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis secretly meet in what is now West Virginia just days after the first land battle of the...
Study finds WVU and its health system account for 17% of West Virginia’s economy
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University and the WVU Health System together generate $14.3 billion in annual economic impact in West Virginia,...


















