Wetzel County, West Virginia

Autumn colors the hills as seen from Tyler-Wetzel Ridge near New Martinsville. (Photo courtesy Van Slider Photography)

Wetzel County, in northern West Virginia (WV), was created in 1846 and named for Lewis Wetzel, who explored much of northern West Virginia in the 1700s. The Wetzel County seat is located at New Martinsville, on the Ohio River, which courses across the western flank of the county. Wetzel County is largely rural and extensively forested. The county is drained westward primarily by Fish Creek, Fishing Creek, Little Fishing Creek, and their tributaries. Vacation living is popular year-round.

Wetzel County Court House

Wetzel County is often grouped with counties in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, though it lies south of the Mason-Dixon Line and the panhandle itself. Parts of the county are in farmland, and oil and natural gas extraction are its principal industries. Glass factories along the Ohio at Paden City and New Martinsville were formerly principal employers.

Cities & Towns in Wetzel County

Burton, West Virginia
Hundred, West Virginia
Littleton, West Virginia
New Martinsville, West Virginia
Paden City, West Virginia
Pine Grove, West Virginia
Porters Falls, West Virginia
Smithfield, West Virginia

Parks & Public Recreation Facilities

Bruce Park (New Martinsville, WV)
Hydro Park (New Martinsville, WV)
Lewis Wetzel Park (New Martinsville, WV)
Lewis Wetzel Wildlife Management Area
Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge

Wetzel County Historic Landmarks

War Memorial Building (New Martinsville, WV)

Regional Information for Wetzel County, West Virginia

Further information on lodging, dining, and recreation in Wetzel County may be found in our guide to travel in the Mid-Ohio Valley Region in northern West Virginia, in which Wetzel County is located. The county is also often considered a part of the Northern Panhandle Region.