Mercer County is a county in Southern West Virginia on the southeastern border of the U.S. state of West Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 59,664. Its county seat is Princeton. The county was originally established in the State of Virginia by act of its General Assembly on March 17, 1837, using lands taken from Giles and Tazewell counties.
Mercer County is part of the Bluefield, WV-VA Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Mercer County was named for the American Revolutionary General Hugh Mercer.
- Battle of Clark's House (1862)
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.4%) 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. Mercer County was divided into five districts: Beaver Pond, East River, Jumping Branch, Plymouth, and Rock. In the 1970s, Mercer County's five historic districts were consolidated into three new magisterial districts: District 1, District 2, and District 3. The new districts were renamed "District I", "District II" and "District III" during the 1980s.
Major highways
{|
|
- (future)
- (future)
- 20px Interstate 77
- 20px U.S. Highway 19
- 20px U.S. Highway 52
- 25px U.S. Highway 460
|
- 20px West Virginia Route 10
- 20px West Virginia Route 20
- 20px West Virginia Route 44
- 20px West Virginia Route 71
- 20px West Virginia Route 112
|
|}
The West Virginia Turnpike, now part of Interstate 77, begins in Princeton.
Adjacent counties
- Raleigh County (north)
- Summers County (northeast)
- Giles County, Virginia (east)
- Bland County, Virginia (south)
- Tazewell County, Virginia (southwest)
- McDowell County (west)
- Wyoming County (northwest)
National protected area
- Bluestone National Scenic River (part)