Editing Mason County, West Virginia

{{Short description|County in West Virginia, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Mason County
 | state                = West Virginia
 | ex image             = Point Pleasant monument-square.jpg
 | ex image size        = 300px
 | ex image cap         = [[Tu-Endie-Wei State Park]]
 | seal                 = 
 | logo                 = Logo of Mason County, West Virginia.png
 | founded date         = January 2
 | founded year         = 1804
 | seat wl              = Point Pleasant
 | largest city wl      = Point Pleasant
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 445
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 431
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 14
 | area percentage      = 3.1%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 25453
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2021
 | population_est       = 25157 {{decrease}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | web                  = https://masoncountywv.gov/
 | district             = 1st
}}

'''Mason County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[West Virginia]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 25,453.<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/masoncountywestvirginia/PST045221 |access-date=September 4, 2022 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] and largest city is [[Point Pleasant, West Virginia|Point Pleasant]].<ref name="GR6">{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The county was founded in 1804 and named for [[George Mason]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mason County history sources |url=http://www.wvculture.org/history/counties/mason.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213172003/http://www.wvculture.org/history/counties/mason.html |archive-date=December 13, 2013 |access-date=December 27, 2013 |publisher=Wvculture.org}}</ref> delegate to the [[U.S. Constitutional Convention]]. Before the Civil War, the county was in the State of Virginia.

Mason County is part of the [[Point Pleasant micropolitan area|Point Pleasant, WV-OH Micropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
In the second half of 1749, the [[France|French]] explorer, [[Pierre Joseph Céloron de Blainville]], claimed French sovereignty over the [[Ohio Valley]], burying a lead plaque at the meeting point of the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers, naming the place [[Point Pleasant, West Virginia|Point Pleasant]].

In the [[Battle of Point Pleasant]] (October 10, 1774), fought on the future site of the town, over one thousand Virginia militiamen, led by Colonel [[Andrew Lewis (soldier)|Andrew Lewis]] (1720–1781), defeated a roughly equal force of an Algonquin confederation of [[Shawnee]] and [[Mingo]] warriors led by Shawnee Chief [[Cornstalk (Shawnee leader)|Cornstalk]] (''ca.'' 1720–1777). The event is celebrated locally as the "First Battle of the [[American Revolutionary War]]" and in 1908 the [[U.S. Senate]] authorized erection of a local monument to commemorate it as such. Most historians, however, regard it not as a battle of the Revolution (1775–1783), but as a part of [[Lord Dunmore's War]] (1774). White settlers may have established their permanent settlement by 1774, for Col. Lewis had established "Camp Point Pleasant" at the time of the Battle and the settlement that followed also took that name.

According to ''[[Hardesty's Historical and Geographical Encyclopedia|Hardesty's West Virginia Counties]]'' (1883), regarding the first white settlers in Mason County south of Point Pleasant: <blockquote>All that part of the district lying on the Ohio river bottoms above Eighteen-mile Creek, was included in the grant made by Congress to the heirs of [[Hugh Mercer|General Mercer]], who was killed at the [[battle of Princeton]], [[New Jersey]], January 3, 1777, while fighting by the side of [[George Washington|Washington]]; hence the name [[Mercer Bottom]]. Who located and surveyed the lands cannot now be learned, but his grandson, [[Charles Fenton Mercer]], of Virginia, afterward put the lands in market and sold them in quantities to suit purchasers. Thomas Hannan, whose name is preserved in that of the district, was the first actual settler - locating in the year 1790. Andrew Fleming and a Mr. Mercer, two hunters, had previously erected a cabin on the land which he purchased, and this was occupied by him until he could build a better one. Soon Jesse George purchased seventy acres of land at the mouth of Flatfoot Creek ... and became the second actual settler. Then came John Hereford, Robert Hereford, Thomas Powell, Edward S. Menager, John Morris — who discovered the first salt water on Kanawha river — George Withers, Robert Cremeans, James George, Rev. John Canterbury ...</blockquote>

The settlement at Point Pleasant did not receive an official charter until 1794. The first road through what later became Mason County was laid out by [[Thomas Hannan (American settler)|Thomas Hannan]] (1757-1835) in 1798 under contract to the federal government. It traversed the distance from present-day [[St. Albans, West Virginia|St Albans, (West) Virginia]] to [[Chillicothe, Ohio]]. This road (parts are still known as "Hannan Trace Road") is one of the oldest roads in Ohio. It became a main highway connecting Chillicothe and points east during the time when that settlement served as the capital of the [[Northwest Territory]] and the first capital of Ohio.

The Virginia General Assembly officially created Mason County from [[Kanawha County, West Virginia|Kanawha County]] on January 2, 1804. It was named for [[George Mason IV]] (1725–1792), known as the "Father of the [[United States Bill of Rights]]" and a [[Founding Fathers of the United States|Founding Father of the United States]]. By 1810, the total county population stood at almost two thousand people. Before the [[American Civil War]] it developed as a river port (farmers upstream on the Kanawha River could ship their goods to Point Pleasant and from there down the Ohio River and sometimes the Mississippi River to market) as well as coal.

In the Virginia Secession Convention of 1861, Mason County's delegate, lawyer James H. Couch (1821-1899), although a slaveholder, voted against secession. Mason County then sent no delegates to the Virginia House of Delegates until West Virginia's statehood, which Virginia's House of Delegates refused to recognize, thus seating James Hutcheson who had been elected by Confederate soldiers in their camp. Meanwhile, William W. Newman claimed to represent Mason as well as nearby Jackson, Cabell, Wayne and Wirt counties throughout the war.<ref>Cynthia Miller Leonard, The Virginia General Assembly 1619-1978 (Virginia State Library 1978) pp. 482, 485, 488</ref> Mason County sent more than 1000 men to the Union army and one company of 61 men to the Confederate Army (the [[37th Virginia Infantry]]).<ref>Virgil A. Lewis's Soldiery of West Virginia (1911, 1972 reprint) p. 223</ref> In March 1863, in the only wartime skirmish in Mason County, during the [[Jones-Imboden Raid]], the 6th Virginia Cavalry and 8th Virginia Cavalry attacked the Mason County Courthouse, where they believed munitions stored, leaving bullet holes in the walls until a replacement was built in 1954.<ref>Mason County West Virginia: Experience History and the Mystery (Mason County Welcome Center) p. 8</ref>

Point Pleasant's Battle Monument State Park, also known as [[Tu-Endie-Wei State Park|Tu-Endie-Wei]], was dedicated on October 10, 1901, to commemorate the Battle of Point Pleasant, at the time claimed to have been the first battle of the Revolutionary War. It significantly predates the 1928 establishment of the [[List of West Virginia state parks|West Virginia state park system]]. The park includes the tavern begun in 1796 by Walter Newman, later operated as a museum of local history by the [[Daughters of the American Revolution]].

The Marietta Manufacturing Company (shipbuilders) moved to Point Pleasant in 1915; the facility continued to build mine-planting vessels and other small ships through World War II, but closed in 1970. During World War II the [[West Virginia Ordnance Works]] manufactured TNT in Mason County about 5 miles north of Point Pleasant; it was later repurposed as the [[McClintic Wildlife Management Area]] as well as an industrial park. The county's worst disaster occurred on December 15, 1967, when the [[Silver Bridge]], a link-suspension bridge which had connected Point Pleasant to [[Kanauga, Ohio]] along [[U.S. Route 35]] since 1928, collapsed during the rush hour commute. The disaster killed 46 people and injured nine others, and drew attention to poor bridge maintenance practices, as well as bridge loads greatly exceeding their original tolerances. The important bridge was replaced two years later by the [[Silver Memorial Bridge]], which stands today.<ref>Mason County tourist book pp. 9-10</ref>

In 1981, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture acquired land that had been farmed after the Civil War by General [[John McCausland]], the last fully confirmed Confederate general to die. Added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2003, it now operates as [[Smithland Farm]]. The River Museum opened on May 1, 2004, but closed in 2018 after a disastrous fire.<ref>Mason County tourist book p. 13</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:US Post Office of Southside, West Virginia.jpg|thumb|Post Office on U.S. Route 35 in Southside, West Virginia]]
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|445|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|431|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|14|sqmi}} (3.1%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_54.txt |access-date=July 30, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

===Territorial evolution===
Prior to its establishment in 1804, the land that would become Mason County was part of the vast and largely unorganized territory claimed by Virginia west of the [[Allegheny Mountains|Alleghenies]]. It was attached to various counties beginning with [[Orange County, Virginia|Orange]] in 1734, [[Augusta County, Virginia|Augusta]] in 1738, and [[Botetourt County, Virginia|Botetourt]] in 1770. Beginning in 1772, the portion of Mason County south of the Kanawha River was part of [[Fincastle County, Virginia|Fincastle County]], the West Virginia portion of which became [[Monroe County, West Virginia|Monroe County]] in 1777. The remaining West Virginia portion of Botetourt County, including the northern part of present-day Mason County, became [[Greenbrier County, West Virginia|Greenbrier County]] in 1778. In 1789, the western portions of Greenbrier and Monroe Counties, extending to the Ohio and [[Big Sandy River (Ohio River tributary)|Big Sandy]] Rivers, were combined to form [[Kanawha County, West Virginia|Kanawha County]].<ref name="Doran">Michael F. Doran, ''Atlas of County Boundary Changes in Virginia, 1634–1895'', Iberian Publishing Company, Athens, Georgia (c. 1987).</ref>

Mason County was separated from Kanawha County in 1804, including all of its current territory, as well as portions of what are now [[Jackson County, West Virginia|Jackson]], [[Putnam County, West Virginia|Putnam]], and [[Roane County, West Virginia|Roane]] Counties. The northern and western boundaries were formed by the Ohio River, and the county's southwestern boundary, originally with Kanawha County, and now with [[Cabell County, West Virginia|Cabell]], remains unchanged. Until 1831, Mason County shared a boundary with [[Wood County, West Virginia|Wood County]], running southeasterly from the Ohio River north of [[Ravenswood, West Virginia|Ravenswood]] to the northwestern boundary of Kanawha County, thence in a southwesterly direction to the present border with Cabell County. The formation of Jackson County in 1831 from portions of Mason, Wood, and Kanawha Counties removed the eastern portion of Mason County, including the part now in Roane County, while the formation of Putnam County from portions of Mason, Cabell, and Kanawha Counties in 1848 removed the southeastern portion of the county. This was the last major change{{efn-lr|Minor adjustments have occurred since 1848, including in 1866, when a small portion of eastern Mason County was attached to Jackson County.}} to Mason County's boundaries.<ref name="Doran" />

After West Virginia gained its independence from Virginia in 1863, the state's counties were divided into [[civil township]]s, with the goal of placing authority in the hands of local governments.<ref name="Rice WV">Otis K. Rice & Stephen W. Brown, ''West Virginia: A History'', 2nd ed., University Press of Kentucky, Lexington (1993), p. 240.</ref>  Mason County was divided into ten townships, each of which was named after a pioneer settler{{efn-lr|Two of the townships were soon renamed: Lemaster Township became Cologne, and Van Bibber Township became Union.}} of Mason County.<ref name="Hardesty's Townships">"Division of the County into Townships", in ''Hardesty's Biographical Atlas of Mason County, West Virginia'', H.H. Hardesty & Co., New York, Toledo, and Chicago (1882).</ref>  However, township government proved impractical across the heavily rural state, with citizens unable to meet on a regular basis, and inadequate tax revenue to meet township responsibilities.<ref name="Rice WV" />  Following the adoption of the [[Constitution of West Virginia]] in 1872, the townships were converted into [[minor civil division|magisterial districts]], and the county courts (later [[county commission]]s) empowered to establish, consolidate, or otherwise modify them.<ref name="Hardesty's Townships" /><ref name="WVC 7 2 2">W. Va. Code § 7–2–2.</ref>

===Major highways===
*[[Image:US 35.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 35#West Virginia|U.S. Route 35]]
*[[Image:WV-2.svg|20px]] [[West Virginia Route 2]]
*[[Image:WV-62.svg|20px]] [[West Virginia Route 62]]
*[[Image:WV-87.svg|20px]] [[West Virginia Route 87]]
*[[Image:WV-817.svg|20px]] [[West Virginia Route 817]]

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Meigs County, Ohio]] (north)
*[[Jackson County, West Virginia|Jackson County]] (east)
*[[Putnam County, West Virginia|Putnam County]] (southeast)
*[[Cabell County, West Virginia|Cabell County]] (southwest)
*[[Gallia County, Ohio]] (west)

===National protected area===
*[[Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1810= 1991
|1820= 4868
|1830= 6534
|1840= 6777
|1850= 7539
|1860= 9173
|1870= 15978
|1880= 22293
|1890= 22863
|1900= 24142
|1910= 23019
|1920= 21459
|1930= 20788
|1940= 22270
|1950= 23537
|1960= 24459
|1970= 24306
|1980= 27045
|1990= 25178
|2000= 25957
|2010= 27324
|2020= 25453
|estyear=2021
|estimate=25157
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2021">{{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=September 4, 2022}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=January 10, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=January 10, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/wv190090.txt |access-date=January 10, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |access-date=January 10, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF" />
}}

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 25,957 people, 10,587 households, and 7,569 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|60|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 12,056 housing units at an average density of {{convert|28|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 98.37% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.50% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.18% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.27% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.11% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.47% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 10,587 households, out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.60% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.50% were non-families. 25.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.70% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 26.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,134, and the median income for a family was $32,953. Males had a median income of $32,382 versus $17,074 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $14,804. About 16.60% of families and 19.90% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 27.30% of those under age 18 and 14.50% of those age 65 or over.

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2010, there were 27,324 people, 11,149 households, and 7,649 families residing in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">{{Cite web |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US54053 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213025234/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US54053 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> The population density was {{convert|63.4|PD/sqmi}}. There were 13,006 housing units at an average density of {{convert|30.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}.<ref name="census-density">{{Cite web |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US54053 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213191948/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US54053 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 97.7% white, 0.6% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.4% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1" /> In terms of ancestry, 19.4% were [[Germans|German]], 11.3% were [[Irish people|Irish]], 11.2% were [[Americans|American]], and 7.6% were [[English people|English]].<ref name="census-dp2">{{Cite web |title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US54053 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213022133/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US54053 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

Of the 11,149 households, 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.4% were non-families, and 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age was 42.4 years.<ref name="census-dp1" />

The median income for a household in the county was $36,027 and the median income for a family was $42,054. Males had a median income of $41,607 versus $25,444 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,609. About 14.6% of families and 18.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 27.3% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">{{Cite web |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US54053 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213014130/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US54053 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Mason County, West Virginia|source1=<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=March 27, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>|source2=<ref>The leading "other" candidate, [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]], received 1,692 votes, while Socialist candidate [[Eugene V. Debs|Eugene Debs]] received 247 votes.</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|8,232|2,111|204|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|8,491|2,526|189|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|7,654|2,081|534|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|5,741|3,778|271|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|5,853|4,484|266|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|6,487|5,408|95|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|5,972|4,963|288|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|3,581|5,284|1,568|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|3,808|5,331|2,061|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|5,332|5,468|25|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|6,648|5,701|44|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|6,040|5,683|385|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|5,205|6,769|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|7,129|4,008|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|5,208|4,549|879|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|4,467|6,511|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|6,424|4,522|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|6,306|3,769|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|6,102|3,824|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|5,453|4,038|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|5,609|3,662|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|6,239|4,521|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1936|Republican|5,894|4,852|36|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|4,655|5,027|76|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|5,125|2,814|53|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|4,225|3,308|557|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|4,912|3,177|114|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|2,454|2,336|101|West Virginia}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|1,024|1,812|1,939|West Virginia}}

==Education==
{{More citations needed|date=November 2013}}
[[Image:Ppsteamboatvisit.JPG|thumb|Steamboat visit at county seat.]]
[[Mason County Schools (West Virginia)|Mason County Schools]] operates public schools.
There are three junior/senior high schools, seven elementary schools and one primary school in Mason County.

*[[Point Pleasant Primary School]]
*[[Ashton Elementary School]]
*[[Beale Elementary School]]
*[[Leon Elementary School]]
*[[Mason Elementary School]]
*[[Point Pleasant Intermediate School]]
*[[Roosevelt Elementary School (Point Pleasant, West Virginia)|Roosevelt Elementary School]]
*[[Hannan Junior/Senior High School]]
*[[Point Pleasant High School (West Virginia)|Point Pleasant Junior/Senior High School]]
*[[Wahama Junior/Senior High School]]
*[[New Haven Elementary School]]

==Mason County Fair==
{{More citations needed|date=November 2013}}
The Mason County Fair, held at the Mason County Fair Grounds in Point Pleasant, is the largest county fair in [[West Virginia]] (in terms of attendance). It is held every year during the first week of August.

==Communities==
[[File:Mason County Magisterial Districts.png|thumb|alt=Outline map of Mason County, West Virginia, showing the boundaries and names of the county's ten magisterial districts.|Mason County, West Virginia, showing the magisterial districts.]]

===City===
*[[Point Pleasant, West Virginia|Point Pleasant]] (county seat)

===Towns===
*[[Hartford City, West Virginia|Hartford City]]
*[[Leon, West Virginia|Leon]]
*[[Mason, West Virginia|Mason]]
*[[New Haven, West Virginia|New Haven]]

===Magisterial districts===
{{div col|colwidth=12em}}
*[[Arbuckle District, Mason County, West Virginia|Arbuckle]]
*[[Clendenin District, Mason County, West Virginia|Clendenin]]
*[[Cologne District, Mason County, West Virginia|Cologne]]
*[[Cooper District, Mason County, West Virginia|Cooper]]
*[[Graham District, Mason County, West Virginia|Graham]]
*[[Hannan District, Mason County, West Virginia|Hannan]]
*[[Lewis District, Mason County, West Virginia|Lewis]]
*[[Robinson District, Mason County, West Virginia|Robinson]]
*[[Union District, Mason County, West Virginia|Union]]
*[[Waggener District, Mason County, West Virginia|Waggener]]
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated places===
*[[Apple Grove, Mason County, West Virginia|Apple Grove]]
*[[Gallipolis Ferry, West Virginia|Gallipolis Ferry]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=12em}}
*[[Ambrosia, West Virginia|Ambrosia]]
*[[Arbuckle, West Virginia|Arbuckle]]
*[[Arlee, West Virginia|Arlee]]
*[[Ash, West Virginia|Ash]]
*[[Ashton, West Virginia|Ashton]]
*[[Baden, West Virginia|Baden]]
*[[Beale, West Virginia|Beale]]
*[[Beech Hill, West Virginia|Beech Hill]]
*[[Ben Lomond, West Virginia|Ben Lomond]]
*[[Capehart, West Virginia|Capehart]]
*[[Clifton, West Virginia|Clifton]]
*[[Condee, West Virginia|Condee]]
*[[Couch, West Virginia|Couch]]
*[[Deerlick, West Virginia|Deerlick]]
*[[Elmwood, West Virginia|Elmwood]]
*[[Fairview, Mason County, West Virginia|Fairview]]
*[[Flat Rock, West Virginia|Flat Rock]]
*[[Glenwood, Mason County, West Virginia|Glenwood]]
*[[Graham Station, West Virginia|Graham Station]]
*[[Greer, West Virginia|Greer]]
*[[Grimms Landing, West Virginia|Grimms Landing]]
*[[Gunville, West Virginia|Gunville]]
*[[Henderson, West Virginia|Henderson]]
*[[Hogsett, West Virginia|Hogsett]]
*[[Lakin, West Virginia|Lakin]]
*[[Letart, West Virginia|Letart]]
*[[Maggie, West Virginia|Maggie]]
*[[Mercers Bottom, West Virginia|Mercers Bottom]]
*[[Mount Olive, Mason County, West Virginia|Mount Olive]]
*[[Nat, Mason County, West Virginia|Nat]]
*[[Pondlick, West Virginia|Pondlick]]
*[[Rayburn, West Virginia|Rayburn]]
*[[Sassafras, West Virginia|Sassafras]]
*[[Southside, West Virginia|Southside]]
*[[Spilman, West Virginia|Spilman]]
*[[Tribble, West Virginia|Tribble]]
*[[Upland, Mason County, West Virginia|Upland]]
*[[Waterloo, West Virginia|Waterloo]]
*[[West Columbia, West Virginia|West Columbia]]
*[[Wood, West Virginia|Wood]]
*[[Wyoma, West Virginia|Wyoma]]{{div col end}}

==Notable people==
*[[Gus Douglass]], longtime commissioner of the [[West Virginia Department of Agriculture]]
*[[Michael Joseph Owens]], inventor of machine which automated the production of glass bottles

==In popular culture==
Mason County is the primary setting of the [[analog horror]] web series ''[[Local 58]]'', created by [[Kris Straub]].

==See also==
*[[Chief Cornstalk Wildlife Management Area]]
*[[County (United States)]]
*[[Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area]]
*[[Kanawha River]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Mason County, West Virginia]]
*[[Ohio River]]
*[[Tu-Endie-Wei State Park]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=lower-roman}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[https://masoncountywv.gov Mason County website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023030838/http://masoncounty.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx |date=October 23, 2019 }}
*[http://www.masoncountytourism.org Mason County Convention and Visitors Bureau]
*[http://www.masoncountychamber.org Mason County Area Chamber of Commerce]
*[http://www.ptpleasantwv.org City of Point Pleasant]
*[http://www.pointpleasantwv.org/ Point Pleasant Internet Directory]
*[http://www.mydailyregister.com The Point Pleasant Register]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101101070604/http://masoncountyfairwv.org/ Mason County Fair]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Mason County, West Virginia
|North     = [[Meigs County, Ohio]]
|Northeast = 
|East      = [[Jackson County, West Virginia|Jackson County]]
|Southeast = [[Putnam County, West Virginia|Putnam County]]
|South     = 
|Southwest = [[Cabell County, West Virginia|Cabell County]]
|West      = [[Gallia County, Ohio]]
|Northwest = 
}}

{{Mason County, West Virginia}}
{{West Virginia}}

{{coord|38.77|-82.02|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-WV_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Mason County, West Virginia| ]]
[[Category:Point Pleasant micropolitan area]]
[[Category:West Virginia counties on the Ohio River]]
[[Category:1804 establishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1804]]
[[Category:Former counties of Virginia]]