Our Heritage
So Much History in One County
From Native Americans to Civil Rights leaders, Jefferson County's story spans centuries of American history.
Jefferson County, WV
A Rich Tapestry
Carved from Berkeley County in 1801 and named for the then-new U.S. president, Virginian Thomas Jefferson — Jefferson County is home to an incredible amount of history.
Over the years, the JCHS’s annual magazine and quarterly newsletter have highlighted many of the incredible stories from the county.
Notable Stories
Historical Highlights
And members of his family
1859 raid on Harpers Ferry
Oldest settlement in WV (1762)
C&O Canal and B&O Railroad
Post-Civil War education
First in the U.S. (1896)
Featured Articles
Stories We've Told
- Native Americans in the Eastern Panhandle
- Steamboat inventor James Rumsey
- Horatio Gates, second in command to General George Washington during the American Revolution
- Martin Delany, an African-American newspaper editor and leader born in Charles Town
- Civil War history and battles throughout the county
- W.E.B. DuBois and the Niagara Movement's first U.S. meeting in Harpers Ferry (1906)
- Stories of many other amazing people and historic buildings
Discover more stories
Read The Magazine
Our annual publication has chronicled Jefferson County's history since 1935. Browse our complete archives.
Explore Archives