Logan County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 32,567. Its county seat is Logan. Logan County comprises the Logan, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Charleston–Huntington–Ashland, WV–OH–KY Combined Statistical Area.
History
Logan County was formed in 1824 from parts of Giles, Tazewell, Cabell, and Kanawha counties, then part of the state of Virginia. It is named for Chief Logan, famous Native American chief of the Mingo tribe. Logan was one of fifty Virginia counties that became part of the new state of West Virginia in 1863, by an executive order of Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, even though Logan County had voted for secession in the April 4, 1861, convention.
Within months of its admission to the Union, 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. Logan County was divided into five districts: Chapmanville, Hardee, Logan, Magnolia, and Triadelphia. A sixth district, Lee, was formed in 1878 from portions of Hardy and Magnolia Districts. In 1895, Mingo County was formed from Hardee, Lee, and Magnolia Districts, along with portions of Chapmanville and Triadelphia Districts.
In the 1960s, Chapmanville District was discontinued, and two new districts, Guyan and Island Creek, formed from its territory, along with portions of Logan and Triadelphia Districts. The county was redistricted again in the 1980s, resulting in nine magisterial districts: Buffalo, Chapmanville, East, Guyan, Island Creek, Logan, Northwest, Triadelphia, and West. However, in the following decade these were consolidated into three districts: Central, Eastern, and Western. The communities of Lorado and Lundale were destroyed and 14 other communities heavily damaged, including Saunders, Amherstdale, Crites, and Latrobe.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.4%) is water.
Major highways
- (future)
- (future)
- 23px U.S. Highway 52
- 23px U.S. Highway 119
- 20px West Virginia Route 10
- 20px West Virginia Route 17
- 20px West Virginia Route 44
- 20px West Virginia Route 73
- 20px West Virginia Route 80
Adjacent counties
- Lincoln County (north)
- Boone County (northeast)
- Wyoming County (southeast)
- Mingo County (southwest)