Wood County, West Virginia

Founding: 1799
Parent county: Harrison

Namesake: James Wood, Virginia governor
Seat: Parkersburg (1802–)

Land area: 367 square miles

Population (2020): 84,296

Population (historic): 1,217 (1800); 6,429 (1830); 19,000 (1870); 34,452 (1900); 56,521 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1800–1980; 1990s

Subdivisions: Three cities; one town; six CDPs

National Register listings: 52

Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 7,429 (18.4%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 42.4%
Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940): 9.6%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 17.4%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 6.8%

Average farmhouse value (1930): $1,251
Average outbuilding value (1930): $676
Average farmhouse size (1940): 5.6 rooms
Number of farms (1920): 2,472
Average farm size (1920): 57.8 acres
_________________________________________________________________________________

Parkersburg

Namesake: Alexander Parker, owner of the city site

Founding: pre-1800 (platting as Newport); 1805 (post office); 1820 (incorporation)

Population (2020): 29,749

Population (historic): 1,218 (1850); 5,546 (1870); 8,408 (1890); 17,842 (1910); 29,623 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1850–1940; 1950s
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 4,308 (28.6%)
_________________________________________________________________________________



View and filter the data. Or see a larger map.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Outstanding Buildings

1. *Joseph Tomlinson House (1839). 901 West 3rd Street.
2. *Charles Uhl House (c. 1865). 99 Northwood Terrace. Italianate.
3. *Henderson Hall / George Henderson Farm (1856–1859). 517 Old River Road. Italianate.