Grant County Chamber of Commerce

                 just the facts               

   
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page updated October 14, 2007

 

 

 

A State is born

West Virginia became a state on June 20, 1863 during the Civil War.  The new state went with the Union breaking away from the State of Virginia and the Confederacy.

The state capital is Charleston.

  
 

Then a County

Grant County was formed in 1866 from Hardy County and named after the outstanding Civil War General Ulysses Simpson Grant.  He was also the eighteenth president of the United States.

  

 

  
  Our Neighbors

Grant County is bordered on the:

 

North by Garrett County, Md.

Northeast by Mineral and Hampshire Counties, WV

Southeast by Hardy County, WV

Southwest by Pendleton and Randolph Counties, WV

West by Tucker County, WV

  

 

Population Density

In 2000, there were 23.7 people per square mile in Grant County.

 

 

  

Total Area

The area covered by Grant County is approximately 480 square miles or 1,243 square kilometers.

Population

The population of Grant County was 8.607 in 1970 and grew to 11, 299 in 2000.

1970 = 8,.607

1980 = 10,210

1990 = 10,428

2000 = 11, 299

  
 

State Motto

 The West Virginia state motto is "Mountaineers are always free".  It comes from the Latin phrase "Montani Semper Liberi".

  
 

 

 

Petersburg

Petersburg, the county seat of Grant County, was named in 1745 for Jacob Petersen, a local merchant.  But, when the post office first opened in 1845, the name was changed to Lunice Creek since Virginia already had one city named Petersburg.  The original name was restored when West Virginia became a state.

 

  
 

Maysville

The original county seat was in Maysville from 1866 until 1872 when it was moved to Petersburg.  In 1895, elections were held and Maysville was once again declared the county seat and it remained so until 1897 when the records were moved back to Petersburg for the last time.

 
 

State Tree

The state tree, selected March 7, 1949, is the Sugar Maple.  It is a deciduous tree that can reach 60-75 feet.  With age, bark becomes furrowed, with long irregular thick plates or ridges.  Orange-yellow fall color.

   

  
 

 

 

  

State Bird

The state bird, also selected in 1949, is the Cardinal.

  
 

State Animal

The Black Bear has been the state animal since 1973.

 

  

 
 

 

 

State Fish

Also in 1973, the Brook Trout was named the state fish.

 

  
 

State Flower

The Big Laurel (Rhododendron Maximum) is the state flower and has been since January 29, 1903.

 

  

 
 

 

 

 

Where in the World

The Latitude and Longitude of Grant County, West Virginia is:

39o06'N

79o06'W

 

  
 

 

Petersburg has an elevation of 984 feet above sea level.

 

  

 

 

Precipitation

The average annual precipitation is 36.4 inches with snowfall averaging 16 inches in Petersburg and 45 inches at Mount Storm.

 

  

 

  
 

 

 

Climate

The average high temperature in January and July is 53 degrees and 81 degrees Fahrenheit.  The average low temperature in January and July is 24 degrees and 62 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

  

 

 

 

 
 

 

Economic Activities

The major economic activities in Grant County are cattle and poultry farming, mining and timbering.

 

  
 

 

 

 

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