WVU Extension Service – Taylor County

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WVU Extension Service

Office Information

WVU Taylor County Extension Office
Route 4 Box 73B
Grafton, WV 26354

Phone (304) 265-3303
Fax (304) 265-1480
Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00 to 5:00
Driving Directions

Taylor County is in the north-central region of West Virginia located east of Clarksburg and about 100 miles south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was formed in 1844 from parts of Barbour, Harrison, and Marion counties. The county is named after the American Revolutionary War soldier, farmer, attorney, legislator, U.S. Senator, political theorist, and author from Caroline County, Virginia, John Taylor of Caroline (1753-1824). He was referred to as John Taylor of Caroline because of other American contemporaries in politics having the same name.

It is rural with a present territory of 174 square miles and a population of 16,291. Its county seat and major city is Grafton (pop. 5,489) located in the east central part of the county. The only other town is Flemington (pop. 287) in the southwestern part of the county. The major waterway is the Tygart River which runs south to north through the central part of the county. Along the Tygart River are two state parks. Most of Valley Falls State Park, bordering Marion County, is within the county. Tygart Lake State Park is in the southern part of the county. A portion of it borders and is within Barbour County. Tygart Lake is a man-made lake formed by one of the largest dams east of the Mississippi River located immediately south of Grafton. The county also has rail connections.

Major employment is in health care and social assistance, retail, and manufacturing. General medical and surgical hospital employment and that of ambulatory health care services compose more than half of those employed in health care and social assistance. The largest sector of manufacturing employment is in rubber product manufacturing. The remainder of manufacturing employment is in wood product manufacturing, the making of paperboard containers, and in fabricated metal and machine shops. Although rail transit was crucial to the economic history of Grafton, few today are employed by the railroad. There is some notable agricultural production of eggs as well as in the raising of horses and in dairying, but the major products are livestock and forage.

You can use the Google map below explore the county.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. David Miller, Director, Cooperative Extension Service, West Virginia University. West Virginia University is governed by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the WVU Board of Governors. Programs and activities offered by the WVU Extension Service are available to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, political beliefs, sexual orientation, national origin, and marital or family status.