Fayette County, in south-central West Virginia (WV), was created in 1831 from parts of Logan, Greenbrier, Kanawha, and Nicholas counties. It was named in honor of the Marquis de LaFayette. Its county seat is at Fayetteville, though its largest municipality is Oak Hill.
The New River and Kanawha River carve steep-walled valleys across the county, dividing it into eastern and western regions. The Gauley River and Meadow River carve similar valleys in their courses along the northern boundary of the county. Traversed by the New River Gorge Bridge, the New River Gorge is among the best known of these valley regions.
Tourism is the chief employer in Fayette County. Each year more than a million tourists visit the region, attracted largely by the gorge and recreation opportunities, including hiking, biking, fishing, hunting, camping, kayaking, rock climbing, and whitewater rafting.
The home of the National Boy Scout Jamboree, the Bechtel National Scouting Center at Mount Hope attracts thousands of scouts to the region annually. As of the 2010 census, the population of Fayette County was 46,039.
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Cities & Towns in Fayette County
Ansted, West Virginia
Beards Fork, West Virginia
Beckwith, West Virginia
Beauty, West Virginia
Fayette, West Virginia (Historical)
Fayetteville, West Virginia
Charleton Heights, West Virginia
Clifftop, West Virginia
Cotton Hill, West Virginia
Danese, West Virginia
Edmond, West Virginia
Gatewood, West Virginia
Gauley Bridge, West Virginia
Glen Ferris, West Virginia
Glen Jean, West Virginia
Hico, West Virginia
Kanawha Falls, West Virginia
Kaymoor, West Virginia (Historical)
Lansing, West Virginia
Layland, West Virginia
Lookout, West Virginia
Mahan, West Virginia
Maplewood, West Virginia
Maywood, West Virginia
Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
Montgomery, West Virginia
Mossy, West Virginia
Mount Hope, West Virginia
Nallen, West Virginia
Oak Hill, West Virginia
Page, West Virginia
Pax, West Virginia
Prince, West Virginia
Quinnimont, West Virginia
Sewell, West Virginia (Historical)
Spring Dale, West Virginia
Smithers, West Virginia
Stonecliff, West Viginia
Summerlee, West Virginia
Thayer, West Virginia
Thurmond, West Virginia
Victor, West Virginia
Whipple, West Virginia
Winona, West Virginia
Parks & Public Recreation Facilities
Babcock State Park
Collins Park (Oak Hill, WV)
Fayette County Park
Fayetteville Town Park (Fayetteville, WV)
Gauley River National Recreation Area
Hawks Nest State Park
Janutola Park (Fayetteville, WV)
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Plum Orchard Lake Wildlife Management Area
Fayette County Historic Landmarks
Glen Ferris Inn (Glen Ferris, WV)
Kay Moor No. 1 Coal Mine (Fayetteville, WV)
New River Gorge Bridge (Fayetteville, WV)
Whipple Company Store (Whipple, WV)
Regional Information for Fayette County, West Virginia
Further information on lodging, dining, and recreation in Fayette County may be found in our guide to travel in the New River Gorge Region in southern West Virginia, in which Fayette County is located.
