| County: | Cabell County |
| State: | West Virginia |
| Founded Date: | January 2 |
| Founded Year: | 1809 |
| Seat Wl: | Huntington |
| Largest City Wl: | Huntington |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 288 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 281 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 7.0 |
| Area Percentage: | 2.4% |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 94350 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Est: | 93418 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Web: | www.cabellcounty.org |
| Ex Image: | The Cabell County Courthouse in Huntington, West Virginia LCCN2015631821.tif |
| Ex Image Cap: | Cabell County Courthouse |
| Named For: | William H. Cabell |
| Time Zone: | Eastern |
| District: | 1st |
Cabell County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 94,350,[1] making it West Virginia's fourth most-populous county. Its county seat is Huntington.[2] The county was organized in 1809 and named for William H. Cabell, the Governor of Virginia from 1805 to 1808.[3] Cabell County is part of the Huntington–Ashland, WV–KY–OH Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Cabell County was created by an act of the Virginia General Assembly on January 2, 1809, out of Kanawha County. The county was named in honor of William H. Cabell, who served as Governor of Virginia from 1805 to 1808.
Many of the first settlers in Cabell County were the Mound Builders, also referred to as the Adena people. Later, many Hurons occupied the area until they were driven out by the Iroquois Confederacy. By the 1700s the area of Cabell County was mostly used as hunting grounds by the native populations in the area.[4]
The first European to set foot in present-day Cabell County was most likely Robert Cavelier de La Salle, who sailed down the Ohio River in 1669. The first English explorers were probably Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam, who explored the area in September 1671. While they explored the area, they found tree markings with the letters MANI and MA, signifying to them that other Englishmen that been there before.
The Savage Grant of 1772 was made to John Savage and 60 others for service during the French and Indian War. William Buffington purchased lot 42 of this grant and willed it to his two sons, Thomas and William Buffington. Thomas and his brother Jonathan came to present-day Cabell County in 1796 and found Thomas Hannon. Hannon is regarded as the first settler in Cabell County.
Cabell County's location along the Ohio River made it a natural resting place and port for westward travelers. Areas such as Guyandotte and Holderby's Landing (present-day Huntington) became ferrying points. The James River and Kanawha Turnpike was extended to Barboursville in 1814. In 1837, Marshall Academy was formed at Holdby's Landing. The school was named after Chief Justice John Marshall, a friend of local lawyer John Laidley. The academy was incorporated in 1838 by the Virginia State Legislature. In 1867, Marshall Academy was created as the State Normal School of Marshall College to train teachers. Marshall College gained University status in 1961.[5]
Prior to the outbreak of conflict, the citizens of Cabell County were largely divided on the issue secession. The arrival of Eli Thayer and his Ceredo Experiment caused an uproar in the county. After the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, a militia was formed called the Border Rangers led by Albert Gallatin Jenkins. The first engagement of the Civil War in Cabell County was the Battle of Barboursville in 1861. Later that same year, the town of Guyandotte was raided and eventually burned by the Union Army. The county's economy suffered greatly after the burning of Guyandotte, but the proximity to the Ohio River and arrival of the railroad boasted the county. In 1871, railroad magnate Collis P. Huntington laid out and founded the city of Huntington, near Holdby's Landing, as the western terminus of the C&O Railroad.[6]
Several industries entered Cabell County as a result of the establishment of Huntington. This influx of industry boast the economy, which saw a boom period until the Ohio River Flood of 1937. Huntington saw the introduction of the state's first radio station in 1923 and the state's first television station in 1949. The construction of Interstate 64 in the 1960s also saw a growth in the local economy.[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has an area of, of which is land and (2.4%) is water.[7]
In 1863, West Virginia'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.[8] Cabell County was divided into five districts: Barboursville, Grant, Guyandotte, McComas, and Union. Two additional districts, Gideon and Kyle, were established between 1920 and 1930. Between 1980 and 1990, the county was redivided into five districts: District 1, District 2, District 3, District 4, and District 5. The names and boundaries of the historic districts were preserved in the form of tax and assessment districts.[9]
As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 96,784 people, 41,180 households, and 25,490 families living in the county. The population density was 344sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 45,615 housing units at an average density of 162/mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 93.37% White, 4.29% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 0.68% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 41,180 households, out of which 25.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.10% were married couples living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.10% were non-families. 31.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.00% under the age of 18, 13.50% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 91.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,479, and the median income for a family was $37,691. Males had a median income of $31,780 versus $22,243 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,638. About 13.70% of families and 19.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.60% of those under age 18 and 10.80% of those age 65 or over.
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 96,319 people, 41,223 households, and 24,308 families living in the county.[11] The population density was . There were 46,169 housing units at an average density of .[12] The racial makeup of the county was 91.6% white, 5.0% black or African American, 1.0% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population.[11] In terms of ancestry, 17.2% were Irish, 16.5% were English, 15.9% were German, and 10.7% were American.[13]
Of the 41,223 households, 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 41.0% were non-families, and 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age was 38.7 years.[11]
The median income for a household in the county was $34,492 and the median income for a family was $48,323. Males had a median income of $39,523 versus $28,952 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,907. About 15.3% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.0% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.[14]
There are two colleges, and one university in Cabell County, West Virginia. All three of them are located within Huntington, West Virginia.
All public schools in Cabell County are operated by Cabell County Public Schools, the sole school district in the county.[15]
Cabell County has a number of private schools at the K-12 grade levels, they are all located in Huntington. Among them are:
For most of its history, Cabell County was a swing county, voting for the national winner in every presidential election from 1892 to 2004, aside from 1924 and 1960. However, similar to the rest of West Virginia, it has become a Republican stronghold, with Donald Trump winning the county by a margin of 25 percent over Hillary Clinton in 2016 and by a margin of 18 percent over Joe Biden in 2020.