Pocahontas County is a county in West Virginia, United States, home to the Green Bank Observatory and the headwaters of eight rivers, including the Greenbrier and Gauley. It had a population of 7,869 at the 2020 census and covers 942 square miles (2,440 km2) centred near 38°21′N 80°02′W.
Marlinton is the county seat; its postal code is 24954. The county has 3 incorporated towns, 3 census-designated places, and dozens of unincorporated communities. It observes Eastern time.
Towns & Villages in Pocahontas County
Pocahontas County has three incorporated towns — Marlinton, Hillsboro, and Durbin — plus census-designated places (CDP) and a large number of unincorporated communities (Unincorp.) scattered through its mountain hollows and river valleys. The table below lists every place with a documented population figure alongside the wider set of named communities carried over from the county’s settlement history.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marlinton | Town · seat | 1,008 | 24954 |
| Hillsboro | Town | 167 | 24946 |
| Durbin | Town | 224 | 26264 |
| Green Bank | CDP | 143 | 24944 |
| Cass | CDP | 52 | 24927 |
| Bartow | CDP | — | 24920 |
| Arbovale | Unincorp. | — | 24915 |
| Beard | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beard Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Boyer | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Braucher | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brownsburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Buckeye | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Burner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Burnsides | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Burr | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Campbelltown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clawson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clover Lick | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Deer Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Denmar | Unincorp. | — | 24925 |
| Dilleys Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Droop | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dunmore | Unincorp. | — | 24934 |
| Edray | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Frank | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Frost | Unincorp. | — | 26825 |
| Harter | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hosterman | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Huntersville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jacox | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kennison | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Knapp | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Linwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lobelia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Locust | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mace | Unincorp. | — | — |
| May | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mill Point | Unincorp. | — | 24954 |
| Minnehaha Springs | Unincorp. | — | 24965 |
| Nida | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nottingham | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Olive | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Onoto | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Raintown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Raywood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rimel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Seebert | Unincorp. | — | 24925 |
| Sitlington | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Slaty Fork | Unincorp. | — | 26291 |
| Spice | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spruce | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stillwell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stony Bottom | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Thornwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Thorny Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Violet | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Walnut | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wanless | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Warwick | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Watoga | Unincorp. | — | — |
| West Union | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wildell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Woodrow | Unincorp. | — | — |
Cass is the site of the historic Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, a former company town built around the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company’s logging mill. Green Bank hosts the National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s Green Bank Telescope, the largest fully steerable radio telescope in the world, and sits at the heart of the National Radio Quiet Zone, where wireless transmissions are restricted for miles around.
ZIP Codes
- 24954 — Marlinton (also serves Mill Point)
- 24946 — Hillsboro
- 26264 — Durbin
- 24944 — Green Bank
- 24927 — Cass
- 24920 — Bartow
- 24925 — Seebert (also serves Denmar)
- 24934 — Dunmore
- 24965 — Minnehaha Springs
- 26291 — Slaty Fork
- 24915 — Arbovale
- 26825 — Frost
Most of the county’s smaller unincorporated communities have no post office of their own and are served by mail from the nearest listed ZIP.
Geography
Pocahontas County sits high in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, with an average elevation of 3,219 feet that makes it the highest county east of the Mississippi River outside western North Carolina. The county is the source of eight rivers, including the Greenbrier and the Gauley, and contains large tracts of the Monongahela National Forest, along with Watoga State Park, the state’s largest state park. Of its 942 square miles, 940 are land and about 1.5 are water.
The county borders Randolph County to the northwest, Pendleton County to the northeast, Highland County, Virginia to the east, Bath County, Virginia to the southeast, Greenbrier County to the south, and Webster County to the west.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 7,869 residents in Pocahontas County, the smallest population of any county on West Virginia’s eastern border. Marlinton, the county seat, and Durbin are the largest incorporated communities. Median household income in the county runs below the West Virginia median of $55,948, reflecting the county’s rural, tourism- and forestry-based economy. Population density is roughly 8 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism, outdoor recreation, and scientific research anchor the county’s economy. Snowshoe Mountain Resort draws skiers in winter and mountain bikers in summer, while the Green Bank Observatory employs scientists and technicians and draws visitors to its Science Center. State forestry and park operations, along with small-scale agriculture and timber, round out local employment. The Pocahontas County Opera House in Marlinton and the historic Cass Scenic Railroad are year-round draws, and the county hosts an annual Roadkill Cook-Off in Marlinton each September.
History
Pocahontas County was organized on December 21, 1821, from parts of Bath, Pendleton, and Randolph counties, and is named for Pocahontas, daughter of the Powhatan chief encountered by English settlers at Jamestown, Virginia. The county’s isolation in the Alleghenies shaped its settlement pattern of scattered mountain communities rather than large towns. In the 20th century, the federal government’s designation of the National Radio Quiet Zone around Green Bank, established in 1958 to protect radio astronomy research, still restricts cell service and wireless transmissions across much of the county today.
Getting There
U.S. Route 219 runs north–south through the county, connecting Marlinton to Elkins and Lewisburg, while U.S. Route 250 crosses the county east–west toward Virginia.
- Elkins, WV — 35 miles north
- Lewisburg, WV — 45 miles south
- Harrisonburg, VA — 60 miles east
- Charleston, WV — 100 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is North Central West Virginia Airport near Clarksburg; Yeager Airport in Charleston offers wider connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Pocahontas County, West Virginia?
It is in the eastern mountains of West Virginia, bordering Virginia along the Allegheny Front.
What is the population of Pocahontas County?
7,869 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Pocahontas County?
942 square miles (2,440 km2), the third-largest county in West Virginia by area.
What is the county seat of Pocahontas County?
Marlinton.
How many towns are in Pocahontas County?
Three incorporated towns — Marlinton, Hillsboro, and Durbin — plus several CDPs and dozens of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Pocahontas County?
Marlinton’s postal code is 24954; other ZIPs include 24946 (Hillsboro), 26264 (Durbin), 24944 (Green Bank), and 24927 (Cass).
Why is Green Bank important?
It hosts the Green Bank Observatory’s radio telescopes and sits inside the National Radio Quiet Zone, a federally protected area that limits wireless transmissions to prevent interference with radio astronomy.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in West Virginia.