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Wetzel County is located in the northwest part of the state beside the Ohio River and forms the base of West Virginia's Northern Panhandle. Its terrain is rough and uneven except for the river valley.
A number of adventurers and explorers went through the area from the 1750s to the 1770s. One of the first men to make his home in Wetzel County was Edward Dulin who, in 1773, settled near present-day New Martinsville. Others soon followed him in establishing homes beside the Ohio River.
Wetzel County was formed in 1846 from Tyler County. The county was named for Lewis Wetzel, a famous frontiersman and Indian fighter. At the time of its formation the county had a population of about 4,200.
Wetzel County, though linked to the outside world by the Ohio River and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, remained largely agricultural until the late 1880s when oil and gas were discovered. Within a few years, oil and gas wells were being drilled throughout most of the county. During the boom period from 1890 to 1900, the population jumped from 16,841 to 22,855. As the oil reserves were depleted, the county turned to industries such as glass and chemicals.
New Martinsville, the county seat, was chartered in 1838 by the General Assembly of Virginia. The town had a population of 228 by 1850 but did not reach 1,000 until 1900. At first the town was named Martinsville, but it was discovered that another town in Virginia had already been named Martinsville and the name was changed to New Martinsville.
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(From E. Lee North's 'The 55 West Virginias,' published by West Virginia University Press. Used with permission.)
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