Map of Ritchie County, West Virginia

Ritchie County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,444. Its county seat is Harrisville. The county was created in 1843 by the Virginia General Assembly and named for Richmond newspaper publisher Thomas Ritchie.

Ritchie County overview:
Name:	Ritchie County
FIPS code:	54-085
State:	West Virginia
Founded:	February 18, 1843
Named for:	Thomas Ritchie
Seat:	Harrisville
Largest town:	Harrisville
Total Area:	454 sq mi (1,180 km²)
Land Area:	452 sq mi (1,170 km²)
Total Population:	8,444
Population Density:	19/sq mi (7.2/km²)

Ritchie County location map. Where is Ritchie County?

Ritchie County location on the U.S. Map. Where is Ritchie County. — Location of Ritchie County in the the United States.

Ritchie County location on the West Virginia map. Where is Ritchie County. — Location of Ritchie County in West Virginia.

History

Ritchie was one of fifty Virginia counties that were admitted to the Union as the state of West Virginia on June 20, 1863, at the height of the Civil War. Later that year, the new state’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. Ritchie County was divided into four districts: Clay, Grant, Murphy, and Union.

In 1911, historian Minnie Kendall Lowther published “The History of Ritchie County.” Her book is still regarded as one of the most comprehensive histories of any county in West Virginia.

Ritchie County Road Map

Ritchie CountyStreet Map. — Street map of Ritchie County, West Virginia. Source: OpenStreetMap (OSM)

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 454 square miles (1,180 km), of which 452 square miles (1,170 km) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km) (0.4%) is water.