Gilmer County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,408, making it West Virginia's fifth-least populous county. Its county seat is Glenville. The county was formed in 1845 from parts of Lewis and Kanawha Counties, and named for Thomas Walker Gilmer, Governor of Virginia from 1840 to 1841. Gilmer was later a representative in the United States Congress and Secretary of the Navy in President John Tyler's cabinet.
Cedar Creek State Park offers camping, fishing, swimming, and hiking. The West Virginia State Folk Festival is held each June. Glenville State University has a community activity center, a state-of-the-art library, and a complete collection of hand-carved, West Virginia–native birds on public display. The Gilmer County Recreation Center Complex includes a small golf course, a convention / reunion hall, and bunk houses. Gilmer County is home to ten nationally registered historic landmarks, the Cedar Creek Backway, and the annual West Virginia Folk Festival. Media outlets for the community include The Glenville Democrat and The Glenville Pathfinder, the county's two newspapers.
Gilmer County is also the site of Federal Correctional Institution, Gilmer, a federal medium security prison for men and the county's largest employer.
As of 2023, Gilmer County has one permanent traffic light. It is located in the town of Glenville.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.5%) is water.
In 1863, West Virginia's counties were divided into civil townships, with the intention of encouraging local government. This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872 the townships were converted into magisterial districts. Gilmer County was divided into four districts: Centre, De Kalb, Glenville, and Troy. In the 1980s, De Kalb and Troy Districts were combined to form De Kalb-Troy District, and a new district, City, was established.
Major highways
- 20px U.S. Highway 33
- 23px U.S. Highway 119
- 20px West Virginia Route 5
- 20px West Virginia Route 18
- 20px West Virginia Route 47
- 20px West Virginia Route 74
- 20px Interstate 79 (No exits within county)
Adjacent counties
- Doddridge County (north)
- Lewis County (east)
- Braxton County (south)
- Calhoun County (west)
- Ritchie County (northwest)