Jefferson County, West Virginia

A biker rides through a tree-lined road in Jefferson County, West Virginia

Jefferson County, in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia (WV), was established in 1801 and named for Thomas Jefferson. Its county seat is at Charles Town, which is the namesake of the Charles Town Race Track, officially located in adjacent Ranson.

The first European settlement in West Virginia may have been made in 1719 near Shepherdstown, now the home of Shepherd University. The county may best be known as the site of the national historical park at Harpers Ferry. The Shenandoah River joins the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry in the shade of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Appalachian Trail also passes through Harpers Ferry and follows a course along the summit of the Blue Ridge and the Jefferson County border with Virginia. As of the 2010 census, its population was 53,498.

Select Cities & Towns in Jefferson County

Bakerton, West Virginia
Bloomery, West Virginia
Bolivar, West Virginia
Charles Town, West Virginia
Halltown, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Kearneysville, West Virginia
Leetown, West Virginia
Middleway, West Virginia
Millville, West Virginia
Morgan Grove, West Virginia
Ranson, West Virginia
Rippon, West Virginia
Shannondale, West Virginia
Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia
Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Summit Point, West Virginia
Morgan Grove, West Virginia

Parks & Public Recreation Facilities

Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Evitts Run Park (Charles Town, WV)
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Rumsey Monument Park (Shepherdstown, WV)
Shannondale Springs Wildlife Management Area

Jefferson County Historic Landmarks

Gibson-Todd House (Charles Town, WV)
Halltown Union Sunday School (Halltown, WV)
Hydroelectric Power Plant (Harpers Ferry, WV)
Old Opera House (Charles Town, WV)
Shepherd’s Mill (Shepherdstown, WV)

Regional Information for Jefferson County, West Virginia

Further information on lodging, dining, and recreation in Jefferson County may be found in our guide to travel in the Eastern Panhandle Region of eastern West Virginia, in which Jefferson County is located.